Nature Takes Its Course
by SpazChan395
Summary: Kakarotto's wild Saiyajin pack has been brutally murdered. Will he and his brothers survive? Will he persuade the ellusive Vega aka: Vegeta to be his mate and bring him back to the pack? GokuXVegeta, guyXguy stuff, OOC and AU. CHAPTER 4 UP
1. Smart Mouth

Title: Nature Takes Its Course Author: Me!^_^ (New York-Chan) Rating: R (action/adventure/romance)  
  
Okay, I promised my friend I'd post something before my birthday, so here's a lil something I just brainstormed out of boredom. It's kind of a nature documentary about wild Saiyajins in their natural habitat. Sorry if it's a lil sketchy here and there, I'm kinda trying to do this a lil quick. This will explain what Saiyajins do in the wild (OOC and AU), well, in my point of view anyway.  
  
A special thanx to Silver_Yaoi for letting me use some terminology from My Suru Lover and My Suru Lover 2: Never Ending (both are very good stories).  
  
WARNING!!! This fic contains graphic violence, yaoi/slash (guy/guy stuff), blood/gore, and tragedy. If there are any homophobes out there preparing to read this fic, you might want to flee like the lil cowards you are so we won't have to listen to your squeals. Squeal, you lil piggies, SQUEAL!!!  
  
Veji: Oh, shut up you stupid onna and start the damn fic already!  
  
Me: Hey! I haven't gotten to the disclaimer yet!  
  
Veji: *rolls eyes* Fine I'll do it. New York-Chan owns nothing of which she speaks, no really, she owns nothing, so don't sue for anything her psychotic brain comes up with! There, you happy?  
  
Me: No, cuz I wanted to do the disclaimer, and I do own my painful Mallet of Punishment! *pulls mallet bigger than said self out of nowhere* Eat birch you lil piggy! WHACK!!!  
  
Veji: *holding head, lil tears in eyes* OOWW!!!  
  
Me: Hey folks, he even sounds like a piggy!  
  
Veji: That hurt!  
  
Me: No, I thought it tickled! Honestly Beji, you're such a geek.  
  
Veji: *all up in my face* You take that back, you half-breed bitch!  
  
Me: ^_____^ You're so hot when you're mad.  
  
Veji: O_O AUGH!!! *leaps about a mile back* You're as dim witted and horny about me as Kakarotto!  
  
Me: I know. *suddenly appears behind him* And today, you are my piggy. I want a piggyback ride! *jumps on his back, grabs his hair* Run, piggy piggy piggy! Ruuun, piggy piggy piggy!  
  
Veji: Oof! Get off me! You're HEAVY!  
  
Me: o\_/o You've been a bad piggy, you must be punished! WHACK!!!  
  
Veji: *lying on the ground, lil swirlies in eyes*  
  
Ugh, I'll pick on Veji when he wakes up. But now, I'll just start this fic. (PS: I've decided that my version of wild Saiyajins walk on all fours, like a gorilla or an ape. Hehe...see the irony?^_^)  
  
Our story begins on Vegetasei, on the lonely continent of Kyodai in the Ame ga Furanai Desert.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 1: Smart Mouth  
  
Little Kakarotto gazed down at the other youngsters from his perch atop a cliff. It was sunset, and it was a little dark. It felt nicer to be out now than in the burning sun in the middle of the day. Several cubs called up to Kakarotto, but he ignored their invitation s to play, his tail swishing gently in the breeze.  
  
Being five years old made him feel grown up and he rarely played with the youngsters of the pack any longer. Most of the time, he just watched their wild games or was practicing hunting on small animals he came across occasionally. He did, however, make exceptions when it came to his younger brothers Gohan and Goten, now at the tender age of two. They were the only survivors of their parent's most recent litter, which was a rare total of five, and Kakarotto took it upon himself to protect them at any cost.  
  
Gohan and Goten hardly looked anything alike, aside from the fact they both had pale skin. Gohan had long hair passed his shoulders while Goten had a lopsided hairdo like Kakarotto's. Another characteristic that made them different was the fact that Gohan was a Saiyajin and Goten was a Suru.  
  
Surus are merely the reproducing counterpart of Saiyajins. Since only one fourth of the entire Saiyajin population is female, some of the males are born with the ability to bear cubs themselves. The only ways you can tell a Suru from a Saiyajin is that they are usually physically smaller than most Saiyajins, and they give off a certain scent produced by their reproductive hormones.  
  
Kakarotto's parents happen to be both male, the Saiyajin is called Toma and the Suru is Bardock. Bardock had the same hairdo that two of his sons had, had dark bronze skin, and a few scars here and there from old fights. Toma also had darker skin, but not quite as dark as Bardock's, was also scarred, and had short spiked-up hair.  
  
Suddenly, Kakarotto felt a light tugging at his tail. He turned to see Pita, King Vegeta's mate, the only female of the pack. Kakarotto smiled, Pita was like a second mother to him, always sneaking him extra treats from the adults.  
  
"Whatcha doing?" she asked in a childish manner. She was only about 17, and it showed that she still wasn't quite full-grown.  
  
"Watching Gohan and Goten play with the other youngsters," he said, scooting over to make room next to him for Pita to sit.  
  
She had difficulty sitting however; her belly was swollen nearly twice the size of its once tight, muscular abs. Kakarotto looked at her stomach.  
  
"Um...Pita?" he started.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"When are the...uh...cubs coming?" There was an unusually shy tone in his voice.  
  
Pita rubbed her roundness gently. This was King Vegeta's and her first litter, and they could hardly wait to see their cubs.  
  
"Any day now, aren't you excited?"  
  
Excited didn't even begin to describe what he felt. This would be the first royal litter of the pack, and would be more special than a thousand newborn females. But that wasn't it...it went far deeper for Kakarotto, but he didn't know exactly why. Deciding to avoid the subject on his feelings for the litter for now, he turned his attention back to the other youngsters.  
  
"Having this litter means you're gonna be all grown-up now, huh?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the youngsters.  
  
"Yeah." Then she said as though reading his mind, "But that doesn't mean I can't still act like a cub."  
  
Kakarotto turned back to Pita and smiled, "That's why King Vegeta chose you for his mate. You're so young and carefree; you never want to grow up and act your age. When I look for a mate, I want him, or her, to be just like you."  
  
Pita smiled and gave little Kakarotto a big hug.  
  
"You have wisdom beyond your years, Kakarotto," she nuzzled her nose in his soft mane.  
  
"There you are, you little scamp!"  
  
Both Pita and Kakarotto nearly fell over the rock face in surprise as King Vegeta came up behind them, followed by Toma and Bardock. King Vegeta was a sight to behold by all; he had dark tanned skin, a tall spiked-up dark brown mane with a widow's peak, and a goatee to match, he was by far the most outstanding specimen of a Saiyajin.  
  
"Pi-pa, Ni-ma, what are you--?" (A/N: 'Pi-pa' is the unofficial meaning for 'father' in Saiyago and 'Ni-ma' means 'mother'.)  
  
"I thought we'd find you here!" Bardock started, passing King Vegeta to reach his son. "You promised to play with your little brothers before bedtime, and I find you here sitting on your butt watching them!"  
  
Kakarotto didn't like being scolded by his mother, especially not in front of the leader and Pita. He started to stutter to find an answer when Pita stepped in.  
  
"He wasn't just watching the youngsters, he was keeping me company on a stroll."  
  
Bardock wasn't about to argue with this fiery young Suru, let alone while her mate was right behind him. Then, King Vegeta stepped forward too.  
  
"You are supposed to be in the den resting," he said flatly.  
  
"Oh Geta, do you really think you can keep me in that dark, smelly cave all day? Besides," she put an arm around Kakarotto, who wished he had been forgotten in this conversation, "I have my little bodyguard with me."  
  
King Vegeta stared down at the young cub and snorted, "That brat couldn't protect you from a flea let alone any real threat!"  
  
Kakarotto puffed up his chest, "For your information, I did manage to catch a young hare yesterday. So I think I qualify to be a rather decent bodyguard."  
  
He wished he had kept his mouth shut when King Vegeta's fur stood on end in anger. Kakarotto knew from past experiences that King Vegeta would not hesitate to give him a good beating to silence the cub's defiance. This looked be one of those times.  
  
Without any further warning, King Vegeta lashed out a strong fist to give Kakarotto a little reminder of who was in charge. But Kakarotto had expected the big Saiyajin to attempt a move like this, and had leapt out of the way onto a higher outcropping of rock. King Vegeta missed his target, of course, but it was his mate who received the blow full in the face!  
  
Pita yelped loudly and started to stumble toward the edge of the cliff. She couldn't regain her balance as quickly as other Surus with her pregnancy, and would have plunged over the edge of the cliff and injured herself and the unborn cubs if King Vegeta hadn't realized his mistake and pulled her away from the edge.  
  
The female rolled to the ground, shrieking and clutching the left side of her face. Toma and Bardock were shocked, both by the blow King Vegeta had accidentally given his mate and by their son's reflexes and agility. Neither of them had ever seen Kakarotto move so quickly and predict their leader's move.  
  
King Vegeta wasn't in the least bit amused by the cub's swiftness, in fact it rather flustered him a bit to have a scrawny little low-level cub dodge his punch. He was not about to let that brat get away with showing him up!  
  
With a loud hiss, he leapt up after Kakarotto, but the cub was ready, 'Another predictable move,' he thought as King Vegeta's fist came flying at him once again. He ducked out of its path and rolled out underneath the leader. Before the big Saiyajin had known where the brat had gone, Kakarotto leapt up and delivered a spinning kick to the side of the leader's face. Kakarotto was feeling rather confident in himself when suddenly the leader grabbed his leg with his teeth and began shaking him like a rag doll. He then threw the cub over the cliff.  
  
Kakarotto felt the world spinning around him, then came the rough pain of his tiny body grinding down the rock face. The limestone scraped his delicate flesh as his slid down. He hit the ground below and bounced a few feet, interrupting the youngsters' game. They bounded off to hide behind small boulders from whatever had fallen from the sky.  
  
The battered cub slowly turned over on his back and looked up at the night sky. He spotted the outline of the enraged king as he leapt off the cliff after him. He managed to gather enough strength to pull his feet beneath him and leap out of the way before King Vegeta's foot came crashing down on the ground space he had just vacated. He rolled ungracefully across the sand; a small boulder protruding from the ground stopped his rolling gently.  
  
King Vegeta turned to the cub; his rage building as he stared at the brat that outsmarted him and made him feel like a fool. He stocked over to the exhausted cub, smirking at the thought of crushing his tiny head in his palm. Kakarotto trembled in fear as his powerful leader advanced toward him, moving in for the kill. King Vegeta leapt and Kakarotto shut his eyes tightly as he waited for the inevitable.  
  
But the attack never came, and Kakarotto opened his eyes cautiously. Blocking King Vegeta's path was his Ni-ma Bardock, hissing and growling protectively at the leader. King Vegeta merely growled back, angry with the Suru for interfering. Bardock wouldn't stand down; he would fight for his cub's life to the death. King Vegeta had had enough with these low- levels; he was going to finish them off now!  
  
Just then, Toma stepped in between Bardock and his leader, growling protectively for the lives of his mate and oldest son. Kakarotto was scared; King Vegeta could easily kill him and his parents. He no longer had the strength to fight off the enraged leader; all he and his parents could do was hope for a miracle.  
  
That miracle came in the form of Pita. She limped forward and blocked King Vegeta's path. The leader hesitated as his mate dared to defy him.  
  
"That's enough Vegeta," she growled.  
  
Kakarotto couldn't believe it; Pita was protecting his family from her own mate! Toma and Bardock were just as surprised as their son was.  
  
If Pita hadn't been pregnant, King Vegeta would have tossed her aside to finish off these low-levels, but right he didn't dare to hurt the unborn cubs she carried. He could just jump over her, but she most likely would leap and meet him in midair. There was no way around it; it was either Pita or no one.  
  
Finally, the mighty leader stood down and backed off. Angry that he had been defied, he sulked up to his den. Toma, Bardock and Pita finally relaxed when the leader disappeared inside the den. Kakarotto got to his feet shakily; Toma and Bardock didn't even try to help their son up, frustrated that they all could have been killed on his account.  
  
"Thanks for the help Pita," Bardock said not taking his eyes off his battered cub, "we'll take it from here, we need to...'have a chat' with Kakarotto."  
  
Pita looked from Kakarotto to Bardock and Toma several times then nodded and hobbled off after her mate, surely a scolding awaited her there.  
  
Bardock walked toward his cub, his fur bristled in anger. Kakarotto looked up at his Ni-ma, "I-I'm s-s-sorry N-ni-ma."  
  
Kakarotto couldn't hold himself up anymore and collapsed. His resolve melted for the moment and Bardock gently grabbed his cub by the scruff of the neck with his teeth and carried him up the rocks to their den. He laid Kakarotto in the nest and began licking his son's wounds. Neither of them spoke to each other.  
  
Just then, Gohan and Goten rushed into the den, chirping excitedly. Kakarotto ignored their questions about the fight and how he survived.  
  
"Okay you two," Toma nudged the cubs aside, "your brother has had a big day."  
  
The twins groaned and settled down in the nest for the night. Toma turned back to his oldest cub, and Kakarotto stared right back. He didn't need a pep talk right now, and he knew he shouldn't have mouthed off at the leader. But Toma just sighed.  
  
"Well, at least you're not dead," he patted his son's head, "but just remember, no more of your smart mouth, okay?"  
  
Kakarotto nodded, and Bardock finished cleaning him. Toma climbed into the nest and snuggled up to his family. He didn't really want to get after his son for showing such strength and courage. He had no idea that his young son was that strong. But now, even if it was just in the back of his mind, he believed that Kakarotto could be as strong if not stronger than the leader.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, this is my first ever fic! I feel so great that I finally got a chapter finished! *hugs self * I'm so special!  
  
Veji: *trying to sneak off*  
  
Me: Hey! My piggy is awake!  
  
Veji: *growl* I'm not your piggy!  
  
Me: Yeah, you're Kaki's piggy^_^!  
  
Veji: *blushes*  
  
Me: *yawn* I'm tired from writing this fic, I don't want a piggyback ride anymore.  
  
Veji: ^_____^THANK YOU KAMI!!! *runs away shouting for joy*  
  
Ugh, this was hard to finish, I don't know how soon I can post the next chappie, it depends on how many good reviews I get. Please R+R, flames are okay, just break it to me gently, okay? Well, nite-nite, I'm going to bed to revitalize my tiny brain. Thanx again Silver_Yaoi! 


	2. New Life

Morning all! I'm awake and ready to start the next chapter^_^! Thanx for the nice reviews, I'm glad some people appreciate my work.  
  
Veji: Hey, you told me that this would be a fic about me. I demand an explanation for this outrage!  
  
Me: You are in this fic, just not quite visible yet. Don't worry, you'll be in this fic really soon. By the way, I got a question about if these wild Saiyajins were naked or not. Well, they are as naked as the day they were born! If it bothers you to think about naked Vejis and Kakis running around, just imagine them in loincloths or whatever. Someone else also said that the wild Saiyajins seem a lot like animals. Well, I hate to be sarcastic, but they are wild animals. Do you really think a wild animal would carry their babies around in their arms and walk on two legs? Then again, Veji already is a wild animal ^_^!  
  
Veji: You'd better be nice to me, or I'll sick my 'Baka-rotto' on you!  
  
Me: What's he gonna do, hug me to death?  
  
Kaki: *instant transmission* Hugglez for New York-Chan! *grabs me and hugs me*  
  
Me: *choking* Veji! Help!  
  
Veji: What do you want me to do?  
  
Me: He's your mate, do something!  
  
Kaki: I love my New York-Chan! *squeezes tighter*  
  
Veji: Not as much as ME though, right?  
  
Kaki: No one is better than you Jita, especially in bed^_^!  
  
Veji: O_O Shut up! Don't talk about that here! *looks at the thousands of eyes in the audience*  
  
Kaki: *drops me and grabs Veji* I love my Jita!  
  
Veji: *choking *  
  
Me: Shoof! Now I get to do the disclaimer for this chapter.  
  
F. Trunks: *appears out of nowhere* New York-Chan does not own DB/DBZ or anything else. Don't sue cuz she is so poor that she sells pencils on the street.  
  
Me: I do not!  
  
F. Trunks: I saw you! And you had some big weird sign on you!  
  
Me: I was selling pencils for a charity fund!  
  
F. Trunks: What charity fund?  
  
Me: The one that is paying for my swimming pool. Now go away or I'll have to tell the readers how 'tiny' you are!  
  
F. Trunks: O_O BYE! *jumps in time machine and disappears*  
  
Me: Well, I guess there's nothing left to do other than start the fic.  
  
Kaki: Huggles for New York-Chan!  
  
Veji: Run onna! RUN!!  
  
Me: AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!  
  
Kaki: Wait! I want a hug! Come back! *chases after me*  
  
Me: *trips and Kaki catches me*  
  
Kaki: Hug me! *hugs me with a death grip*  
  
Me: Start the fic Veji! I can't go on!  
  
Veji: But I don't know how it goes!  
  
Me: You have to! The readers are depending on you! Just push the upload button!  
  
Veji: Um...okay...here goes nothing... (Remember folks, this is a yaoi, so there will be guy/guy in this fic. Also, this chapter contains some blood and gore, so those with weak constitutions should leave immediately.) *pushes button*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 2: New Life  
  
The morning sun crept into the den where the small family lay. It was warm and comforting to the skin, but to the eyes it was an unwelcome intruder. Why had Kakarotto's parents chosen a den that faced the sunrise?  
  
"...too early..." the cub whined and rolled over, trying to snuggle up to his Ni-ma. But, he wasn't there. So Kakarotto rolled in another direction, but still no warm bodies of his parents. Why wouldn't they still be there? It was barely dawn, wasn't it?  
  
Then the thought hit him that they could be out hunting. How dare they leave him behind! He bolted up, the sun burning into his sleepy eyes.  
  
"Ah! It burns!" he cried and shielded them with a hand.  
  
There was a groan and some rustling next to him in the nest. Well, at least Gohan and Goten were still there. Then he remembered that they usually wanted to play with him when they woke up. Quietly, he slipped from the nest and tiptoed toward the den entrance. Several times he had to stop after making slight sounds across the stone floor that may have woken his brothers up.  
  
When he did finally reach the opening of the den, he was about to make a mad dash for freedom when he felt two small bodies tackle him from behind.  
  
"Play with us Kaki," Gohan chirped happily.  
  
"Yeah, play with us," Goten piped in.  
  
Kakarotto growled and rolled over onto his little brothers, pinning them beneath him. He then turned to run out of their reach when he was again tackled to the ground. The twins only thought their older brother's attempts to escape their clutches were in fact a game. Gohan grabbed Kakarotto's tail and pulled, trying to keep him from getting away, while Goten jumped up on his head and began pulling his hair.  
  
Kakarotto twisted and jerked in his brothers' grips, until Gohan could no longer keep a hold of his tail and was sent flying back into the nest. Kakarotto had an easy time running down the rock face with just little Goten on his head, the little Suru cub wasn't quite as strong as Gohan and couldn't exactly hold his big brother down.  
  
Goten soon dropped off his brother's head and rolled along the ground as Kakarotto continued to run on all fours. He looked back to see if the twerps were still in pursuit. He didn't have time to look however, as he crashed into a Saiyajin that he didn't see in his path. The youngster bounced easily off the adult and landed on his back with a grunt.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to--" he gasped when the Saiyajin turned around and faced him, a familiar scowl spread over his face. King Vegeta!  
  
This was the one Saiyajin he had wished to have avoided today, but it didn't seem to be his day. Kakarotto just stared up at his leader in bewilderment. He no longer had the same cockiness he had the other day, he now knew much better than to show any disrespect to King Vegeta. They were in a stare down; Kakarotto was too afraid to take his eyes off the leader and King Vegeta was too prideful to let this brat stare him down. Well, it couldn't really be called a 'stare down'; Kakarotto didn't dare show any defiance today, he could tell the leader was tense about something.  
  
The twins broke the tension as they barreled down on their brother, knocking him flat on his face. King Vegeta didn't even try to stifle his laughter as the low-level brat was subdued by his younger, not to mention weaker, brothers. Kakarotto felt so embarrassed at how he was attacked by the duo, especially in front of the leader.  
  
Fortunately, King Vegeta had better things to think about than these cubs and got up and left the youngster to wallow in his shame. Kakarotto pushed his brothers off him and watched the leader wearily. There was an uneasiness about King Vegeta today and it made him nervous. A quick glance around at the other adults and Kakarotto knew he wasn't alone.  
  
Every adult seemed on edge today, tense and skittish. The Surus huddled extra close to their mates, who licked their faces and necks to comfort them. They jerked at every sound; mostly it was just the youngsters playing. Even Bardock and Toma were restless, pacing along the outer rim of the pack's nesting sight. What was going on?  
  
Kakarotto was distracted from these worries when he caught the glimpse of a desert hare in the corner of his eye, darting among the dry brush that lay only a few yards from the nest sight. His instincts to chase the hare were far stronger than his curiosity about the sudden alarmed state of the pack. He crept low to the ground on his belly, slinking passed a few troubled adults. All his focus was on that hare; he didn't even notice his brothers sneaking up in the same fashion, imitating their big brother.  
  
Kakarotto slunk closer and closer, his eyes never leaving the hare. This could be his chance to really prove to King Vegeta that he really could catch a hare. He just hoped he could...  
  
"BOO!!" shouted the twins as they leapt on top of their brother.  
  
The commotion they created frightened the hare and it scampered off into the desert. Frustrated, Kakarotto threw his brothers aside and raced after his prey. Gohan and Goten decided to follow him; maybe they could get him to play again.  
  
"Kakarotto! Gohan! Goten! Come back, it's not safe!" Bardock roared as his cubs ran from the nest sight.  
  
"I've got to get that hare!" Kakarotto threw over his shoulder as he disappeared over the ridge.  
  
"Don't worry, Ni-ma," Gohan chirped, "Kaki will look after us!"  
  
Bardock could only watch as his cubs, his only cubs, disappeared in pursuit of...a hare! He wanted to rush after them and bring them home, even if he had to drag them kicking and screaming by their tails. But Toma nuzzled him gently.  
  
"Let them go," he put a powerful arm around his mate, "Kakarotto knows what he's doing, they'll be fine."  
  
"They'll be fine!!!" Bardock felt like ripping his baka-for-a-mate's head off, "Don't you smell that thing that is heading this way?! What if it finds them?! I can't just let them go!"  
  
"If worse comes to worse, they can always hole hide in a burrow."  
  
"Oh, that's comforting! If this Saiyajin is as powerful as we believe, it could rip up the burrow and stomp their tiny little brains into vulture food!"  
  
Bardock broke down and wrapped his arms around his mate, sobbing into his chest. Toma held his mate close, letting him pour everything out. He didn't feel safe out in the open anyway; he scooped his still sobbing mate into his arms and carried him toward their den, where knew he could better soothe Bardock's worries.  
  
But not far, crouched and waiting for the right moment to attack was a dark shadow; the poor pack members never even knew it was so close.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kakarotto had lost sight of the hare long ago, but was bound and determined to bring it back to the leader and prove his worth. They'd been searching for hours, and Gohan and Goten's incessant whining about being tired were really getting on his nerves.  
  
"If you hadn't followed me, you'd still be back home with the other youngsters," he'd say, "maybe you should learn to stop following me everywhere."  
  
"You're never gonna find that stupid hare!" Goten sat down and began massaging his sore knuckles and feet.  
  
Saiyajins walk and run on their knuckles and feet, like a gorilla or an ape. It is faster to get from place to place on four legs than just two. However, walking or running on coarse sand such as what is in the desert can hurt youngsters who don't have properly developed calluses.  
  
Gohan sat down next to his brother and nursed his own wounded pads. Kakarotto was starting to bleed at the knuckles too, but he wasn't about to stop the hunt over a little cut. He licked the wound quickly and continued his search. Where do hares normally hide?  
  
Then Kakarotto remembered his Pi-pa telling him that you can smell a hare on the ground if it passed by that spot. So he bent down and sniffed, nothing, so he sniffed around in other places. He kept his nose low to the ground, sniffing for even the faintest scent of a hare. His nose led him in a zigzag pattern across the sand. His brothers looked on curiously and after a few moments began to imitate his strange behavior.  
  
Suddenly, Kakarotto jerked up; he was surprised when he actually caught the scent of his quarry. He quickly followed the faint trail his prey had left behind, his brothers trailing at his heels. He led them further and further, far from the boundaries of their territory. Gohan and Goten had never been this far before, but Kakarotto often came even further than this. His parents hardly ever noticed that he was gone, so he pretty much could go wherever he pleased.  
  
Soon, they came across a small burrow. Kakarotto sniffed around the entrance, this was definitely the home of the same hare he had been tracking. The scent was so strong it was over whelming. Throwing caution to the wind, Kakarotto began digging and clawing at the burrow's entrance. Gohan and Goten wanted to help, so they dug around the edges. But their hands were very sore from traveling such a far distance and soon gave up, finding a soft patch of sand to curl up on and slept.  
  
Kakarotto didn't want to sleep; he was so close to capturing his prize. The sand was much harder the further down he got and he was starting to wear his fingers raw. It wasn't long before he finally reached the chamber where the hare was no doubt hiding. He pushed into the relatively large chamber, and spotted the hare. Wait, that wasn't a hare...  
  
It had bright purple fur with blood-red stripes. Its shape was more like a feline than a hare and almost the same size as Kakarotto. Its bright, frightened, yellow eyes flashed at Kakarotto. In an attempt scare off the intruder, it puffed up like a furry balloon and hissed. Gohan and Goten, realizing their brother had managed to dig into the burrow, peeked in to see what had made that noise.  
  
"That's not a hare, Kaki!" Gohan cried, pointing out the obvious, "it's a Bengalaas cub!"  
  
The Bengalaas, or Saiyajin Tiger, is one of the few beasts that kill and eat Saiyajins. They are swift, stealthy creatures, equipped with razor sharp 6-inch saber fangs, claws like daggers, and fur that even a bullet can't pierce. The cubs of a Bengalaas, however, are much easier to kill and are very tasty to eat, but are rarely unattended by their Ni-mas for too long, leaving little opportunity to get one. There are usually twins in a litter, but there was only one in the burrow. Kakarotto just figured the other one was killed by predators. Or perhaps disease; this one seemed to be ill, thin and frail. It would be easy to kill.  
  
"Kaki! Let's go!" his brothers pleaded, "its Ni-ma could be back any second!"  
  
Kakarotto just smirked, "I think I can handle a sick Bengalaas cub."  
  
With that, he attacked, but was too slow. Even when sick, a Bengalaas can be deadly. The cub sprang out of the way and made an attack of its own. But Kakarotto had danced out of the way before the cub knew what had happened. Kakarotto went in low this time, aiming for its soft stomach. Again the cub dodged his attack and slashed at his arm. Kakarotto yelped and jumped back; the cub had delivered quite a wound for such a small thing. Blood trickled down his arm and pooled in the sand. It was rather deep, but not a threat to Kakarotto's survival; it would heal.  
  
"You'll pay for that!" the young Saiyajin snarled and leapt at the Bengalaas.  
  
This time, the cub wasn't quick enough to escape Kakarotto's clutches and was pinned beneath him. It fought wildly, clawing at its enemy with everything it had left. Kakarotto latched his teeth around its throat, cutting off its air, and the cub began kicking him with its hind legs, causing more deep gashes. After several minutes of this, the cub went limp, its life force gone. Kakarotto didn't dare release it yet; it could very well be faking and attack when he had his guard down. Then, out of exhaustion, Kakarotto dropped his prey and slumped to the ground, panting heavily.  
  
"KAKI!"  
  
Gohan and Goten crawled down the hole and rushed to their brother's side. They gently licked his wounds, trying to make him better and coax him into staying awake. They fussed over him until he finally pulled himself into a sitting position.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he winced slightly as his wounds stretched, causing more blood to flow.  
  
He then looked at his kill, his first real kill. When he told King Vegeta that he had caught a hare the other day, he was just bragging. It was more like a three-legged lizard than a hare. Ni-ma and Pi-pa would be so proud—  
  
"Ni-ma and Pi-pa! They must be worried sick!"  
  
Kakarotto picked the lifeless body up in his mouth and climbed up out of the hole, his brothers not far behind. He knew almost exactly where he was; he hadn't been to this exact spot, but he'd been to the ridge that was just up the hill. They were about a mile away from the pack, it would take less then an hour to get there if they hurried.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
All the way home, Gohan and Goten were being their normal annoying selves, all caution they had earlier at the Bengalaas burrow had been left there. They kept bouncing up and down, asking questions like, 'Can we carry it?' and 'Can we poke its eyeballs?' and 'Does it taste yucky?' Kakarotto let Gohan hold it for a little, he thought Goten was too small to hold it, and he could barely drag it along the ground. Kakarotto was having a hard time himself with the carcass, he wasn't used to having to carry prey.  
  
They stopped by a small watering hole for a drink and some rest. Carrying that thing was hard! Kakarotto had no idea it would be so heavy, and this one was thin and sick. How heavy would a healthy one have been?  
  
After a quick nap, they set off again. It was taking a lot longer than Kakarotto had hoped, and rain clouds were staring to darken the sky. It was a welcome change from the blistering sun of the afternoon, and the cool ran would feel good on Kakarotto's wounds, which were healing quickly, but it wouldn't be good if this turned out to be a really big storm and they got stuck in it.  
  
It had started to sprinkle a little by the time they saw the nest sight. Gohan and Goten made a mad dash for the comfort that awaited them there, Kakarotto held back though, the weight of the kill was too heavy to try and run with. He contemplated on what he would say to King Vegeta when he saw him with the Bengalaas cub. He'd have to watch what he said though; he didn't want to be battered up again like yesterday.  
  
Suddenly, Gohan and Goten's shrieks of terror snapped him from his train of thought. He hesitated, then remembered that the adults were on edge that morning, which meant something was wrong. Without another moment to spare, he hauled the dead cub up on his back and raced toward his brothers' cries. He made it into the nesting area, and received the shock of his life.  
  
Several Saiyajin bodies lay strewn out, all dead. Their faces were forever frozen in fear. Dried blood stained the ground on which they lay. Kakarotto was speechless, he realized that it wasn't just Saiyajins that lay dead, but also Surus. There were huge bloody tracks of some large animal--Kakarotto assumed they belonged to the culprit. Whatever had killed the pack members wasn't looking to control the pack, they wanted to destroy it. Kakarotto's heart nearly stopped in his chest.  
  
"NI-MA!! PI-PA!!"  
  
He raced up the rock face toward their den, where he hoped they would be. Gohan and Goten were already there when he got up to the den. They were in complete shock and couldn't speak. They just stared into the darkness.  
  
"Are Ni-ma and Pi-pa in there? Are they okay?" Kakarotto asked desperately.  
  
They didn't answer. Shaking, Kakarotto peered into the den and saw why the twins were so bewildered. In the nest lay their parents, battered and bloody. They neither moved nor breathed, just stared into the abyss with glassy doll's eyes. The same tracks that were down with the rest of the pack were scattered about the floor.  
  
The twins rushed forward to make pitiful attempts to coax their parents back to life, pulling their hair and pushing them roughly. They soon realized that their attempts were futile; they hugged their parents, sobbing loudly. Kakarotto almost let a tear fall himself; he wanted to break down and cry--like his brother--but he had to be strong, for them.  
  
A shadow started to creep over Kakarotto's back. He leapt out of the way and turned toward the shadow. Standing in the cave entrance was King Vegeta.  
  
"W-what happened h-here?" Kakarotto stammered, partially from the fear of his leader and the lump that was hardening in his throat.  
  
The leader looked on at the cubs, still clutching their parents and crying. There was an unusual look in King Vegeta's eyes, was that sorrow?  
  
"We were attacked by a rival Saiyajin," he said flatly.  
  
"But...these tracks are too big to be a Saiyajin!" Kakarotto was on the verge of being hysterical by now.  
  
"It was a Saiyajin. And he was gigantic, possibly the biggest I've ever seen..." King Vegeta trailed off as he watched the cubs emotions pour out over their parents.  
  
"Why didn't you save them?!"  
  
The question caught King Vegeta off guard and he looked at the youngster that stood before him in confusion.  
  
"You're our leader! Our protector! Why didn't you save the pack?! Why didn't you save Ni-ma and Pi-pa?!"  
  
King Vegeta turned away, not wanting to look him in the eyes, "I...wasn't there...something came up...and I needed to leave."  
  
"What is more important than the safety of the pack?!"  
  
The leader turned back to him, his face full of worry.  
  
"My litter is on the way. They're coming."  
  
All three cubs froze when their leader said this simple phrase, a phrase that would mean the turning point for this small pack's future.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
King Vegeta, deciding it was no longer safe in their old nest sight, led them to the makeshift den he had made for Pita to whelp in. When a Suru gives birth, he or she usually leaves the pack for a few days with their mate and their young, if they have any. This way, they can have more privacy during the painful hours of labor and birth. But this can be an unwise choice; it is extremely hard on a Suru to bring cubs into the world, and many die during the delivery.  
  
Unfortunately, King Vegeta had chosen to build the den quite far from the nesting sight. The journey was long and strenuous. The cubs were still very tired from their trek from the Bengalaas burrow. The leader ended up having to carry Gohan and Goten on his back, Kakarotto was fine to walk. Kakarotto had decided the Bengalaas cub might be good for food for Pita after she safely delivered her litter, so he carried it on his back the whole way.  
  
It was well passed sun down and had started raining by the time they reached the den. It was quite cozy for a temporary home; King Vegeta had found this as a small cave about a week ago and had been digging it a little deeper over time until now to be adequate enough for protecting a soon-to-be Ni-ma and her new litter. It was a welcome to the cubs, who were soaked to the bone and exhausted from the day's events.  
  
They were startled when they saw Pita; she was pale as a ghost, her face was drenched in sweat and she was panting heavily. She turned her head weakly toward them and smiled as best as she could, wincing slightly in pain.  
  
"Hey guys," she said, her voice cracking.  
  
King Vegeta rolled the two half-asleep cubs from his back and quickly went to his mate's side. He rubbed his forehead against hers, an action of affection for Saiyajins, and took her tiny hand his big powerful one.  
  
"How have you been holding up?" he asked, almost convinced that she was actually going to die.  
  
"Oh, I'm okay," she winced again as another contraction swept over her, "I've been holding them in until you came back and--"  
  
"That's not healthy for you or them!" he warned, "Well, if you had to hold them in, I guess it's time to push."  
  
Pita nodded, King Vegeta moved down her body and made her spread her thighs (A/N: No, he's not gonna fuck her, he is now 'Dr. Vegeta' ^_^). Kakarotto looked on in a slight bit of disgust; he had seen Gohan and Goten being born, and it wasn't a pretty sight. He still couldn't figure out how something as big as a newborn Saiyajin could fit through such a small hole! But somehow, he was drawn to watching this birth, after all, it was going to very special for Pita and he wanted to help.  
  
He cautiously crawled across the den floor, his brothers, now wide-awake, followed suit. The shy trio peeked up over Pita's leg, and instantly Gohan and Goten retracted in disgust.  
  
"EW!!! IT'S SO GROSS!!!" they squealed like schoolgirls.  
  
The first cub was already crowning, its hair wet from the fluid of the birth.  
  
"Yeah, it is gross," Kakarotto began casually, "but in the end there's gonna be brand new cubs to see and play with."  
  
Pita smiled at how grown up the youngster seemed, not afraid of seeing something like this, and reached a trembling hand up to stroke his soft, wet mane. King Vegeta, however, was not listening.  
  
"You should be concentrating on the litter, not the brats," he scolded.  
  
"Oh Jita! Be nice, they aren't hurting anyone."  
  
"You're supposed to be pushing," he said in his usual flatness.  
  
Pita had put it off for long enough and she knew it, it was time to meet her cubs. She took a deep breath and pushed hard, her mate between her legs waiting for the first cub. Kakarotto watched, amazed at how fast it was coming out, it took Bardock a lot longer to have any of his cubs; it took almost an hour to get Gohan out, the first of the litter, but the rest of the litter came out much easier.  
  
Kakarotto remembered his parents lying in the den when they found them. That monster had easily taken away what he truly cared about, everything he held dear. He never even had much of a chance to say anything to them that morning. It was painful to think about it.  
  
He was torn from his thoughts by Pita's blood-curdling scream. With a loud splash of birth fluids, the cub landed in its Pi-pa's waiting hands. King Vegeta commenced cleaning it as it squealed in the sudden cold of the world outside of its Ni-ma's womb. It flailed its chubby little arms around, the leader now severing the umbilical cord. (A/N: Sorry if this grosses anyone out! _)  
  
King Vegeta held the cub up to get a good look at it. It opened its eyes and, seeing some strange big monster holding it, began squealing even louder than before. The leader chuckled at the cub and looked it over and sniffed it.  
  
"It's a boy," he announced, "and a Suru, I think".  
  
"Yeah, well, the next one is coming!" Pita shouted impatiently.  
  
"Hold this," he said, thrusting the newborn into Kakarotto's arms.  
  
Kakarotto glared at King Vegeta, how could he call his own cub a 'this'? He looked down at the wet little bundle of flesh in his arms. He was so cute; he looked just like a mini King Vegeta, except his hair was black with a tint of red instead of dark brown, and he didn't have facial hair. The baby looked up at this knew creature that held him, but this one wasn't as scary as the first one. He was much littler, and didn't hold him up in the cold night air, but it still wasn't Ni-ma.  
  
Kakarotto gently touched the newborn's nose, "You're a cute little one, aren't you?" he cooed.  
  
The cub grabbed his hand and started chewing on his finger, wrapping his tail around Kakarotto's arm. Luckily, he didn't have fangs yet, so it didn't hurt Kakarotto when he was gumming him. The youngster felt his heart swell at this tiny helpless cub, but why did he feel like this about him? Probably the excitement of having an heir to such a strong leader; sure, King Vegeta was a bit of a stuck-up bully, but he had many good qualities about him that made him leader in the first place.  
  
"Hey, you two!" King Vegeta boomed at Gohan and Goten over new squeals from the next cub, "Get over here and help!"  
  
The twins obeyed reluctantly and rushed to their leader's side, trying as best as they could not to look at the birthing. King Vegeta plopped a wet squealing cub into both their hands. This one was slightly bigger than the first; it was another boy, and no doubt a Saiyajin. He was another King Vegeta lookalike, but his hair was tinted a slight blue instead of the first one's red. The young Saiyajin was very strong, and Kakarotto's brothers were having trouble holding him still. He flailed about, smacking Gohan with his hands and whipping Goten with his tail.  
  
"That's not how you do it," Kakarotto picked up the large cub, "like this."  
  
But the cub was even too much for the older brother, and Kakarotto just ended up laying him on the floor. Gohan and Goten laughed at their big brother and tended to the cub again. The cub obviously didn't like all the attention he was getting from these youngsters and continued to protest as they fussed over him.  
  
They heard the sound of the next and hopefully last cub being born.  
  
Gohan turned to Goten, "This next one is yours."  
  
"Uh-uh, it might be bigger than this one, you take it!"  
  
But King Vegeta never passed them the cub; in fact, he looked rather frightened. He held something so tiny in his hands that none of the youngsters even thought it was a cub. This one must have the runt of the litter. But wait, where were its squeals? King Vegeta began to rub its back rigorously, trying to get it to breathe and make at least some noise. Kakarotto's heart nearly stopped at the thought of Pita loosing a cub before it even had a chance to meet its Ni-ma.  
  
After several minutes of rubbing, and not a sign of life, it was clear that this cub was dead. The den fell silent, even the newborns seemed to sense the sorrow that hung in the air.  
  
"Jita? Is it okay?" Pita asked desperately.  
  
But the leader shook his head, "It didn't make it."  
  
All the life in Pita's eyes seemed to fade away at the news of the death of their cub. Her eyes began to water as pain in her heart grew. King Vegeta, not wanting his mate to see the cub and burst into tears, took the cub in his mouth, freeing his hands for walking, and left the cave. Kakarotto handed Pita the cub he held and followed the leader.  
  
King Vegeta was digging a hole not far from the den when Kakarotto reached him. He watched the leader lay the poor dead cub in the hole and, looking it over one last time, fill in the hole. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach as he watch the leader; he'd never seen him like this, he never knew King Vegeta could even do real emotions.  
  
King Vegeta turned and saw Kakarotto standing there. He walked over to the youngster and nuzzled him gently, something Kakarotto wouldn't expect the leader to do to anyone, let alone him, other than his mate.  
  
"I-I'm sorry for your loss King Vegeta," the cub managed.  
  
But the leader didn't say 'thank you' like he was hoping, "It wasn't my loss, it was Pita's."  
  
He walked back up to the den, Kakarotto at his heels, confused at how it was Pita's loss. Well, he knew Pita was upset about loosing a cub, but why would one cub be so important if she still had two others?  
  
King Vegeta, as if sensing the reason for the cub's confusion, paused before entering the den and turned to him. Kakarotto could see despair in the proud leader's eyes as he spoke.  
  
"Pita has always wanted a daughter, and that cub was a little girl."  
  
Kakarotto was in shock; a baby girl?! They were so rare, the youngster never thought that the cub could ever be a girl. It would have been so obvious, but he just didn't think; he was so used to seeing males that he didn't even think that another girl could be born into the pack. He looked up at his leader and he swore the water running down King Vegeta's face were tears instead of rain.  
  
"Don't mention it to Pita though, I can't bare to watch her heart break," he pleaded to the cub.  
  
Kakarotto agreed with the need of further explanation, and the duo reentered the den. They found that the newborns had been given back to their Ni-ma, and were now feeding from her milk. King Vegeta shook like a dog to dry himself off from the rain, Kakarotto did the same. Gohan and Goten didn't even turn to say hi, they were so interested in the new cubs.  
  
"Whatcha gonna call them?" Goten piped happily, petting the bigger cub's mane.  
  
Pit looked up at her mate, "That's for Pi-pa to decide."  
  
Now King Vegeta was in trouble; he had fussed over making everything perfect, he had forgotten to think of names for the cubs. He knew he wanted to name one of them Vegeta after himself, but which one? And what about another name for the other cub? He sat down, his brow raised up in slight confusion, them his eyes lit up as he thought up the names for his offspring.  
  
"The Saiyajin will be Vegeta Jr., or just Junior, and the Suru will be Vega."  
  
Gohan and Goten chirped happily and continued to fuss over the newborns. Kakarotto watched young Vega feeding, 'He's so innocent, so fragile, so...'  
  
Then Vega stopped suckling and stared back at the youngster, his tiny eyes penetrating deep into Kakarotto's soul. Kakarotto smiled and finished his train of thought, '...so beautiful.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End Chapter 2  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Veji: ...My name's not 'Vega'!  
  
Me: Relax, piggy. It'll all become clear in time.  
  
Veji: I'm not piggy! o\_/o  
  
Me: And I'm not a half-breed bitch!  
  
Veji: ...I didn't call you that...  
  
Me: Yes you did! Last chapter!  
  
Veji: Oh come on!  
  
Kaki: Jita, are you being bad again? Do I have to punish you?  
  
Veji: O_O NO!! I'm being good, see? *imaginary halo floating above his head*  
  
Me: I thought you were the dominant one, Jita.  
  
Veji: Apparently not in this fic!  
  
Kaki: *now all dressed in black leather, holding a whip* You've been a bad boy!  
  
Veji: RUUN!! It's Dominatrix Kakarotto!! *flees for life*  
  
Kaki: You'll have to come home sometime! And I'll be waiting! *sees me* I guess I'll toy with you until I catch him.  
  
Me: O_O AAAHH!!! *runs for dear life* Please review, hope you enjoyed this chappie (sorry if it's sketchy and a lil long, I was trying to fit a lot of stuff in). I'll do next chappie soon, if Dominatrix Kakarotto doesn't beat me first!  
  
Kaki: *chasing me* Come back and take it like the bitch you are!  
  
Me: Why does everyone keep calling me a bitch?! _ 


	3. Crystal and Chaos

Whew, I escaped Dominatrix Kakarotto, and now I can do the next chapter! Sorry if the last chapter grossed anybody out, I guess I should stop watching Maternity Ward. Ugh, I've got a gummi bear hangover. Um...about naming Vegeta 'Vega'...  
  
Veji: Yeah, I'd like to know why the hell you did that!  
  
Me: Well, I'm not telling! Anyway, I don't really know why I named you that; I just like the name 'Vega'!  
  
Veji: ...well...why am I the Suru?! I'm the dominant one! I'm the one riding! I'm not the bitch!  
  
Kaki: B-but, I'm not a bitch. ::sad pouty face::  
  
Me: Aw, look what you did! You bad piggy! ::looking around:: Where'd my Mallet of Punishment go?  
  
Veji: ::triumphantly:: _HA_!! I hid it!  
  
Me: ::smirks:: Well, I'll just have to beat you with this giant dead fish I found! ::pulls out big dead fish:: Hope you like sushi!  
  
Veji: O.O **_NOOOOO!!!!!  
  
_**Kaki: Hey! Don't beat up my Jita!  
  
Me: Huh?  
  
Kaki: Let me! ::takes fish from me:: _How DARE you call me a bitch!!  
  
_Veji: O.O **_AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! _**::runs away, but trips on face::  
  
Kaki: Who's the bitch now?! _WHACK!!!  
  
_Veji: ::unconscious, twitch twitch::  
  
Me: ...okay...anywho, disclaimer time. I hope I get to actually do it!  
  
Kaki: _WHACK!!!  
  
_Me: ::unconscious, twitch twitch::  
  
Kaki: Hehehe, since New York-Chan is unable to do the disclaimer now, I'll do it. New York-Chan does not own anything, don't sue cuz um...just don't sue, okay? (Remember, this contains guy/guy stuff, blood/gore, and plenty of tragedy) ::pushes upload button::

----------

Chapter 3: Crystal and Chaos  
  
Two years have passed since that fateful day. The lack of food and protection has forced the remaining members of the decimated pack to migrate constantly to avoid starvation and attacks from wild beasts. They haven't been the same ever since a rival Saiyajin killed almost the entire pack, leaving only three orphans, two adults and their litter of two.  
  
The three cubs are all brothers; the oldest is named Kakarotto, and is now at the feisty age of seven, the other two are twins called Gohan and Goten, now four years old. They lost their parents that tragic day, and would have been killed themselves if it hadn't been for Kakarotto's stubbornness to get a hare to prove to his leader that he was worth much more than his leader was giving him credit for. Kakarotto didn't get his hare, but he brought a Bengalaas cub home, which his leader didn't even notice.  
  
The two adults that had survived were King Vegeta, the leader of the pack, and his mate Pita. They had managed to avoid catastrophe that day as well; that day, Pita went into labor with her first litter, she and King Vegeta left the pack to have her cubs in privacy. Those cubs turned out to be a Suru, whom King Vegeta dubbed Vega, and a Saiyajin, Vegeta Jr.  
  
By this time, the litter has grown into a fine pair of cubs, which are now two years old. Though Vegeta Jr. is considerably larger than his brother, he lacks in the personality department, something that Vega has a great deal of. Even though Vega was born first, it was Vegeta Jr. is pampered and spoiled by his Pi-pa, helping him grow strong. But for now, Vega is content to be the little shit he is.  
  
The pack has settled down temporarily while there is food available, giving the cubs time to explore and improve a few skills. 

----------

"_Stop following me around, Kakarotto_!" an ill-tempered Vega growled at his older counterpart.  
  
Kakarotto raced after the little Suru, who was trying to lose him, and doing a pretty good job. But the seven-year-old wasn't about to let Vega go out to explore on his own, especially now that the sun was sinking into nighttime.  
  
"You're not supposed to be out on your own this late!" Kakarotto called back.  
  
Man, that big baka didn't know when to quit, did he? Vega didn't want to have to put up with Kakarotto today; it seemed that wherever he turned, the dope was right there, watching him. He would never leave him alone! Yet, Vega couldn't help but feel warmed by Kakarotto's presence, the youngster always seemed to look on the brighter side of things and could cause a smile to creep over anyone's face. Despite this, Vega found Kakarotto to be a rather large pain in the ass!  
  
"Go away!" Vega disappeared into a small canyon, Kakarotto not far behind.  
  
Ha, the cub had nowhere to go, and Kakarotto could catch him and bring back to his parents. But as the youngster rounded the corner, Vega had completely vanished. There was nothing around except for the reddish rocks that littered the canyon. Kakarotto just smirked; this would be the perfect time to practice his tracking skills. He lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed along the sand for Vega's scent.  
  
The little Suru had a smell that was very distinct from that of the fine sand, and Kakarotto easily picked up the trail. Kakarotto chuckled; Vega hadn't covered his tracks at all. He followed the scent up toward a large out cropping of rock that shielded the cliff face behind it, several small tracks leading behind it. This was obviously Vega's hiding spot.  
  
Like a cat stalking a mouse, Kakarotto crept silently up the rust-colored stone and peered over the side. There, Vega crouched motionless, listening for the youngster. Every muscle was tense, ready for action if he needed to flee. His tail twitched in anticipation and his breathing was heavy yet silent. He sat like this for what seemed like hours, while in reality, it may have been only a few minutes.  
  
Finally, Vega decided that his older counterpart had given up, so he slowly began to vacate his hiding place. He looked cautiously around for what seemed like an eternity, making sure the coast was clear. Suddenly, he bolted off toward his original destination, only to have Kakarotto come crashing down on top of him from where he was perched.  
  
"Get _off _me!" he squealed.  
  
Vega fought to regain his feet, but Kakarotto sat down right on top of his back, letting the cub squirm and spit threats. The cub finally tired himself out and lay beneath the youngster, panting heavily from his effort. Feeling that Vega's resistance had dispersed, Kakarotto got up off his back and sat in the warm sand.  
  
"Ready to go home?" Kakarotto beamed his 'victory grin' at the defeated cub.  
  
Vega said nothing, but scowled at the youngster that had so easily overtaken him. Of course a seven-year-old would have triumphed over a two- year-old, but Vega still had his pride. He didn't like the feeling of inferiority whenever he was beaten; it made him feel weak, worthless. At least he was strong enough to give Gohan and Goten a run for their money (A/N: Just a figure of speech, wild Saiyajins don't have money).  
  
Before Vega could get to his feet, Kakarotto grabbed him by the scruff of his neck with his teeth and lifted him off the ground. Now Vega felt even more inferior, having a low-level carry him as if he were too weak to stand by himself. He hissed angrily and squirmed once again with newfound strength.  
  
"_Put me down_!!" he twisted in Kakarotto's grip, "I can walk on my own!"  
  
Kakarotto couldn't reply with his mouth full, so he just chuckled and trotted off toward their pack's campsite. It wasn't long before Vega stopped fighting again and let himself go limp in the youngster's grasp.  
  
'Oh well,' he thought, 'Ni-ma still loves me, even if I am weak'. He only wished his Pi-pa felt the same way about him being weak. 

----------

King Vegeta paced around the cave's entrance anxiously, growling in frustration.  
  
"_Where the hell are they_?!" he sat down, but was instantly on his feet again, "They shouldn't be out there this late!"  
  
The horizon was glowing a rich red now that the sun had set, and it was getting rather dark. Now that it was almost night, the predators would be out and about, in search of their next meal. King Vegeta feared that his son would make an excellent appetizer, while Kakarotto would suffice as the main course.  
  
Pita looked up from her cub that she was cleaning, who was kicking and squealing to get away.  
  
"Well, if you're so worried, why don't you go find them?" an annoyed tone in her voice.  
  
Gohan and Goten were still tearing at the carcass of their dinner. They were oblivious to their brother's whereabouts. The twins hardly ever noticed if Kakarotto was gone; even if they did, they knew their brother could take care of himself. They were distracted as King Vegeta threw himself into another fit of curses.  
  
"If that good-for-nothing low-level comes back without my son, he'll wish he had been killed along with the rest of the pack!!"  
  
"_**VEGETA**_!!!" Pita literally dropped what she was doing—namely, Junior—and made her way to her mate to give him a scolding.  
  
King Vegeta braced himself for the inevitable, but kept his eyes on the cave entrance for the wayward cubs.  
  
"How _dare_ you wish something like that on Kakarotto! He has been nothing but help to us ever since that day! You just can't stand the thought that he may be of some worth to you!"  
  
King Vegeta turned to his mate, _"That little **brat **is of **no **use to me!! I only keep him around because **you **tell me to!! If I had the choice, I would have left him to **die **that day!! I wish he **had **died, one less unwanted mouth to feed!!"  
  
_"Ni-ma! Pi-pa!"  
  
The two adults jerked in surprise as their son squealed happily at the sight of his parents. Vega still dangled from Kakarotto's mouth and began twisting frantically to get to his parents.  
  
Kakarotto, not taking his eyes off King Vegeta, set the cub down on the stony ground. King Vegeta didn't even give Kakarotto a second glance as he began to fuss over his newly returned cub. The leader checked Vega over and over, looking for any new wounds his cub might have obtained that day.  
  
"Pi-pa, I'm fine! _Stop it_!" he squealed in annoyance.  
  
Kakarotto made his way to the inner corner of the cave and curled into a ball, his front facing the wall, not wanting to look at anything. He heard every word King Vegeta had said about him, and it hurt him deep down. King Vegeta always said awful things to him, but never anything like that. He started to choke back tears; he wasn't about to let his leader see him cry.  
  
Suddenly, Kakarotto felt something warm and wet nudge against his back. He turned to see Goten, holding a large chunk of bloody meat in his mouth. Goten was four years old, and he still showed the same innocence he had in his early years. But even his innocence wasn't enough to entice Kakarotto to eat tonight, and he turned away from his younger brother's offering.  
  
Goten was slightly hurt, but understood how his older brother felt. Unlike Gohan, he had paused during his meal to listen to the adults' conversation, and heard the horrible things King Vegeta had said about his brother. There was no excuse for the leader's words; no one would ever say anything like that unless they meant it. Goten knew if it had been him that King Vegeta was talking about, he would be crying in a corner too, or maybe worse.  
  
Nevertheless, Kakarotto had to eat something. Goten placed the meat on the ground next to his brother and went back to his own dinner. 

----------

"Ni-ma, tell us a story!" Vega chirped, bouncing around in excitement.  
  
Pita was too tired to tell any stories tonight, but she knew her little cub wouldn't calm down until she told him a story. She sighed and sat up.  
  
"Okay, what story do you want to hear?"  
  
"Oh, oh! The one about the Kurisutaru tree!" the cub sprang into his Ni- ma's lap and look up at her expectantly.  
  
Junior didn't seem as thrilled by a bedtime story as his older yet smaller brother.  
  
"Not this old tale again! We've heard this one a bazillion times!"  
  
"Eat it Junior!" Vega hissed.  
  
"Now you two," Pita scolded half-heartedly, "either you decide on a story or there won't be any story."  
  
Junior snorted and crawled into King Vegeta folded arms. He didn't care about some stupid old story anyway. Vega settled to hear his favorite love story.  
  
"Let's see, where do we start...?" Pita thought.  
  
Vega was growing impatient, "Once upon a time!"  
  
"Oh yeah," Pita teased, "Once upon a time...what next?"  
  
"There was a young Suru!"  
  
Pita giggled, "I think you should tell the story, you seem to remember it better."  
  
Vega raised an eyebrow, was he even supposed to tell his Ni-ma a bedtime story? The idea seemed absurd, but his Ni-ma couldn't remember it, so Vega would have to tell the story.  
  
"Okay, ahem Once upon a time, there was a young Suru. He didn't have anyone to take care of him and he was lonely, so he went on a magical quest. Soon, he came across a young Saiyajin who was lonely too. So he said, 'Hey, we can look for someone to take care of us together.' So they continued on their way. They followed the streams and rivers and mountains for many years."  
  
'He's doing a pretty good job telling the story,' Kakarotto thought, still curled up in his corner.  
  
"The Suru and the Saiyajin grew up and the young Suru wasn't a young Suru anymore, but a grown-up Suru. One day, the Suru realized that he wasn't lonely anymore, and neither was the Saiyajin. They had fallen in love. But they didn't want to admit their feelings to each other. So they continued their travels across the land, searching for someone to take care of them."  
  
Vega didn't really like what happened next, so he tried to be quick.  
  
"But one day, they ran into a big, mean monster. The Saiyajin tried to protect the Suru, but was killed. The Suru was so sad that the Saiyajin died. He held the Saiyajin close and told him that he loved him. The Suru would not leave the Saiyajin's side, and after many weeks, died from starvation and sorrow. Over the next years, their bodies decayed, and where they died a beautiful tree grew."  
  
"What did the tree look like?" Pita asked.  
  
"It grew big and tall with strong roots. It needed good strong roots to keep it standing straight and tall. Instead of bark and wood, the tree was made of blue crystal and its leaves were made of pink crystal, shining in the moonlight. And its branches drooped from the weight of the fruit that grew on it, as if the tree were weeping."  
  
"Why does fruit grow on the tree?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot about that! Well, for many years, the tree never bore fruit. But then one day, an old Saiyajin and his mate came across the tree. They were dying, and didn't know what to do. That night they slept under the tree. The Suru cried in his sleep, and a single tear fell to the tree's roots. The Suru's and Saiyajin's spirits of the tree awoke and saw the couple. They wanted to do something for them, but all they had left was their love. Using the magic of the forest, they were able to manifest their love in the form of a beautiful new fruit."  
  
Vega snuggled closer to his Ni-ma as he continued the story.  
  
"The next morning, the couple awoke to find the fruit. The Saiyajin picked one from the lowest branch and offered it with his mate. The moment they bit into it, they could feel their old strength returning. After they had finished the fruit, they were much stronger than they had ever been. They thanked the spirits of the tree and departed."  
  
"What was the tradition that arose from this?"  
  
"Well, when a Saiyajin wants a Suru to be his mate, he offers him or her a fruit. If the Suru takes the fruit, then he or she accepts, if not, then the Saiyajin must find a new mate."  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Ni-ma, will you sing the song?"  
  
Pita smiled, "Of course."  
  
With that, Pita cleared her throat and began to sing, rich and soothing.  
  
**(1st Verse)  
  
**_Look at the fruit, the fruit of the tree.  
  
It's planted by lovers for you and for me.  
  
The beautiful fruit of the tree.  
  
_**(2nd Verse)  
  
**_Come touch the fruit, feel and see.  
  
The fruit that is sweeter than Baras can be. _(Baras = roses)  
  
_The beautiful fruit of the tree.  
  
_**(3rd Verse)  
  
**_Let's eat the ripe fruit, the fruit of the tree.  
  
And sweeten our souls, so we may be.  
  
Like the love of the beautiful tree.  
  
_When she had finished, she looked down at her precious cub. He was sound asleep, no doubt dreaming of the Kurisutaru tree. Now that her cub was asleep, she could sleep peacefully. 

----------

Kakarotto awoke suddenly during the night for some odd reason. He looked around, thinking maybe there was something wrong, but he couldn't tell. The meat Goten had given him that evening was still next to him, so he decided, since he was awake, to have a midnight snack. The meat was a little dry, but it still tasted good. As he ate, he looked over the small pack.  
  
Gohan and Goten were cuddled close together, their bellies large and round with food, and Kakarotto could hear them digesting. They seemed so cute when they slept, but Kakarotto knew that come daybreak, they'd be up and acting like the real little monsters that they were. King Vegeta slept with his back propped up against the wall and Junior purring in his lap. 'Spoiled brat', the youngster thought to himself. Pita was curled up next to her mate; her head lay gently on his shoulder. There was an empty space in her arms for something to sit or lay...  
  
"_**VEGA**_!!" Kakarotto shrieked and jumped up.  
  
His hands instantly shot to his mouth as he realized that he had shouted a little louder than he should have, but thankfully, no one woke up. Kakarotto breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
_"What?!"  
  
_Kakarotto nearly leapt out of his skin at the harsh whisper. He turned and saw Vega crouched in the cave entrance, his head slightly cocked to the side.  
  
"You called my name, didn't you?!" the cub inquired.  
  
"Y-y-yes," Kakarotto tried to calm himself.  
  
"Well, what do you want?!"  
  
"I-I just didn't know w-where you were."  
  
"Oh," and with that, Vega turned and left the cave.  
  
"**_WAIT_**!!" Kakarotto didn't care if he had shouted too loudly that time, "Where are you going?!"  
  
"Out," Vega threw over his shoulder.  
  
Kakarotto quickly scrambled to his feet and dashed after the cub. He grabbed the cub's ankle and attempted to drag him back to the safety of the den.  
  
"It's not safe out there," he started, "There are beasts out there that'll eat you up!"  
  
Vega snarled and fought back, then, with a smirk, he stopped struggling.  
  
"Let me go or I'll wake Pi-pa," his smirk rose as he saw the look of fear on the youngster's face and continued, "I'm sure he won't mind smacking you around right now."  
  
Kakarotto glared at the cub, "You wouldn't dare--"  
  
He didn't get to finish his sentence as Vega began shrieking and howling. Kakarotto dropped the cub and looked around in bewilderment, hoping not to see King Vegeta charging in anger. Instead of waiting for the leader to wake up, he decided to stop the source of the sound. He grabbed the cub and clasped a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Okay, okay," Kakarotto gave in, "just don't make anymore noise."  
  
Pleased with himself, Vega pushed Kakarotto off him and brushed the dust off his shoulder. He started to leave again, but turned back to a defeated Kakarotto.  
  
"You might want to come with me," he teased sarcastically, "I don't think Pi-pa will be terribly happy if I don't come home in the morning."  
  
Kakarotto didn't really want King Vegeta to be angrier with him than he already was, so he followed the cub. Vega was quite pleased with what he had accomplished; while he had been so easily subdued earlier that day, he now had the upper hand on the baka. Maybe today wasn't a total bust!  
  
Little did the pair know that they were being stalked at this very moment. But this predator wasn't looking for food; his intentions were far more heinous. They would soon meet an old foe from years ago.

----------

It was a little passed daybreak and Vega had yet to reveal their destination. Kakarotto didn't know where they were and was afraid he wouldn't be able to get them home. They had left their semi-forest home and were now in complete desert once again. Instead of scrawny trees, there were tall reddish rocks, molded into contorted beasts over eons of erosion.  
  
Vega was off in his own little world, thinking about what to do next now that he was alone and free from the pack. Then came the reminder that he wasn't alone.  
  
"Vega," Kakarotto whined, "where are we going?"  
  
Vega didn't really feel like answering the baka's question, but did anyway.  
  
"We're gonna find the Kurisutaru tree."  
  
**_"WHAT?!?!"  
  
_**Kakarotto almost didn't believe Vega, until he saw the cub's face. Completely serious and stone cold.  
  
"Give me a break! That's just a old story; my parents used to tell me it to me when I was your age!"  
  
"How do you know it isn't real?" Vega challenged.  
  
Kakarotto raised an eyebrow, "Do you really think there is a tree made of crystal and fruit made of love?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Well, there isn't, and we're going home!"  
  
Kakarotto tried to grab the cub, but Vega was too fast. The youngster soon found the cub racing away, as he had done the other day. Kakarotto dashed after him, confident that he could catch the cub before he got too far ahead. Suddenly, he felt some kind of force hit him from behind, knocked him flat on his face. The youngster reared up, sending the intruders flying. He turned just in time to see Gohan and Goten hit the sand with a loud smack a few yards away.  
  
_**"DAMN YOU!!!" **_Kakarotto cried and raced after Vega, leaving his bewildered brothers behind.  
  
Damn it, Kakarotto had lost sight of Vega! He couldn't pause to sniff the ground, so he continued in the direction that the cub was originally travelling. It seemed like he had been running forever before he heard the cub's blood-chilling scream. Why would Vega scream like that?  
  
Kakarotto's heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized what might have happened to the young cub. He galloped as fast as he could, Vega continuing to shriek and howl. Realizing it was dangerous to be rushing into a situation he might not be able to handle, Kakarotto hid behind a cluster of stones near the cub's cries. Cautiously, the youngster peeked over the rim of his hiding place and froze at the sight that stood before him in the clearing.  
  
A monstrous, full-grown Saiyajin stood reared up on his hind legs against an even taller cactus. He had a long shaggy black mane down his back that came to a sharp widow's peak on his forehead. His tail swished behind him in frustration as he tried to get at Vega, who was perched atop the cactus, hissing and yowling in both fear and anger. Kakarotto wondered momentarily how the cub could have climbed up that cactus and get pricked by its thousands of spikes.  
  
The Saiyajin roared in frustration and threw himself against the cactus, causing it to quake and lean. Vega yelped and clung for dear life to the thorny perch, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't land in the awaiting mouth below. Kakarotto crouched tensely in his hiding spot, what could he do? He could never take on a full-grown Saiyajin and survive, let alone _this_ one! But then, he had a plan on how to immobilize the monster or at least distract him.  
  
He crept slowly forward, his stomach scraping the sand as he slid along the ground. All his attention was focused on that tail, flailing ever so angrily behind the beast. The youngster was now so close that he could reach out and grab it, but he was still unsure, so he crept closer. Now he could easily snatch that tail and give it a good hard jerk--  
  
_**"KAKI!!! DON'T DO IT!!!"  
  
**_Kakarotto turned to see Gohan and Goten staring with wild, frightened eyes at their brother, anticipating what he was going to do. Unfortunately, the Saiyajin heard the noise too, and figured out what the youngster wanted to do too. He snarled and began to turn. Kakarotto saw his only chance at the tail slipping away, so he did the only thing he could think of—he grabbed the tail and bit down, hard.  
  
The Saiyajin wailed in pain and began bucking furiously like a bull. Kakarotto held on with everything that he had with both his teeth and his hands--if he let go of the tail, it was curtains. He sank his teeth in deeper, causing the Saiyajin to howl again and thrash harder. Suddenly, the Saiyajin lost his balance and fell into the cactus, making it sway dangerously. Vega shrieked as he was thrown from his perch. There was a sickening crunch as the cub's head slammed against a sharp stone.  
  
**_"VEGA!!!"  
  
_**Kakarotto's shout had caused him to loose his grip with his teeth, making it harder to keep hold as the Saiyajin spun and lurched wildly. His biting had caused the Saiyajin to bleed, and the warm wet blood made it difficult to hold on. Finally, the Saiyajin cracked his tail like a whip, and Kakarotto easily slid off. The youngster managed to correct himself in midair and was able to land on all fours. He looked up just as the Saiyajin barreled down on him. Kakarotto pinched his eyes shut and braced himself for his own death.  
  
It had been the longest three seconds of his young life as he sat and waited, but nothing ever happened. He slowly opened one eye, then the other as he saw King Vegeta, crouched and hissing between the youngster and the Saiyajin. How did King Vegeta get there so fast?  
  
_"Back off, asshole!" _King Vegeta snarled.  
  
The bigger Saiyajin stood up, apparently being knocked down by the leader, and chuckled deep in his throat.  
  
"Now Vegeta, is that any way to be treating an old friend?" he inquired, even though he knew the answer.  
  
_"You are no friend, Radditz!"  
  
_Radditz clutched his chest mockingly, "Why Vegeta, that really hurt. I was merely trying to bring your cub back to you. He had wondered off and I thought you might want him back."  
  
"Do you know where liars go?"  
  
"Of course, Congress." (A/N: Just a lil joke of mine, Saiyajins don't have a Congress)  
  
Kakarotto felt frantic arms wrap around him and drag him back. It frightened him at first, then he recognized the scent of Pita. He was quickly reunited with the terrified twins and Junior, who still looked half- asleep. But where was Vega?  
  
"You have no business here," King Vegeta puffed up his chest, "Leave now, or I shall have to force you."  
  
Radditz began laughing hysterically, rolling over onto one side, clutching his stomach and kicking his feet into the air. King Vegeta didn't flinch, but the cubs cowered at the booming laughter. Kakarotto backed up, trying to cuddle close to Pita for reassurance. There were so many questions running through the youngster's head, but when Radditz's laughter died down and he started to stand up, Kakarotto turned his attention back to the verbal brawl.  
  
Radditz wiped a tear from his eye, "Do you really think you can kick me out of _my_ territory?"  
  
King Vegeta tensed; if this was _his_ territory, then they were the intruders, and Radditz would surly force them out. But perhaps at a price he wouldn't...  
  
"What do you want Radditz?" King Vegeta gave in.  
  
"The cubs."  
  
"You can't have my sons."  
  
"You mean that half dead one over there?"  
  
Radditz motioned over his shoulder toward Vega. He lay face down, blood steadily flowing from a gash in his hair. The stone the cub had hit his head on had blood on it as well. Pita gasped and rushed forward to retrieve her cub. But Radditz was not about to let the little She-Suru bypass him, and swatted her aside fiercely. Pita let out a cry and rolled across the sand. King Vegeta roared like a lion and attacked his mate's assailant. Radditz, as if knowing this was the action the leader would take after what he did, sidestepped the King Vegeta's first strike and swatted him away as easily as he had done to Pita. King Vegeta yelped and rolled along the ground momentarily, then righted himself back to his feet.  
  
"Get out of here you brats!" King Vegeta shouted to the cubs, who stood dumbfounded by Radditz's strength.  
  
No one had ever been able to take on their leader and even walk away without so much as a broken tail, except for Kakarotto who had been protected by his parents, but Radditz had tossed him aside as if he were a mere tumbleweed! It took them a moment to regain their senses and they were soon off. All except Kakarotto; he stared passed the battle toward Vega's lifeless body. Was he even alive?  
  
Alive or not, Kakarotto didn't want to watch the cub be trampled into the sand, and he didn't care if there had been a hundred Saiyajins standing in his way. He lunged forward, dodging the two fighting Saiyajins' blows and narrowly avoiding being trampled himself. He reached the cub's side and gently nudged him. The little Suru groaned softly and Kakarotto breathed a sigh of relief; Vega was alive! As if picking up a new born, as he had done years ago, Kakarotto gently fastened his teeth on the scruff of Vega's neck and began to creep away. But King Vegeta's blood-curdling cry stopped him.  
  
Radditz had King Vegeta by the throat and was squeezing tighter and tighter. King Vegeta's eyes were glazed over as he looked up at Kakarotto's bewildered face. He saw his son dangling from the youngster's mouth and realized that he wouldn't be there for him. He wouldn't be able to watch him grow, wouldn't be able to teach him to hunt, wouldn't be up all night wondering when hi son would come home after meeting a young Saiyajin. He knew he hadn't been the best Pi-pa, but now he would never be able to redeem himself. A single tear trailed down his cheek and he passed these thoughts to Kakarotto. In his mind he told the youngster, 'Tell him that I love him and that I'm sorry.'  
  
And with that final atonement, Radditz jerked his head back, tearing King Vegeta's throat wide open. The leader tried to gasp and breath, but there was only a wet gurgling noise as he choked on his own blood. His body convulsed violently for a moment, then lay still, the earth drinking his blood. The once proud, invincible King Vegeta had final fallen. At this time, Radditz had turned his attention to the youngster who had assaulted his tail.  
  
Kakarotto backed away in immense fear. He let out a low growl, mostly to reassure himself rather than to frighten the evil Saiyajin. Radditz didn't care; he had easily overtaken this youngster's only means of protection, so there was nothing to stand in his way of finishing off King Vegeta's bloodline. He decided against going after the wounded Suru cub and instead leapt in the direction of the sleeping Junior.  
  
Kakarotto tried to call out to the Saiyajin cub, but couldn't with his mouth full. Radditz made it to the cub in a single bond, then—taking the cub into his mouth—he shook him like a rag doll and threw him into the sand. Kakarotto was just thankful that the cub was asleep, dying painlessly. Now Radditz was ready for the seemingly futile task of dispatching of the unconscious cub and the youngster. Fortunately, all was not lost for Kakarotto and Vega.  
  
Just as the monstrous Saiyajin lunged for the kill, some new force struck his chest, knocking him back a few feet. Radditz regained his feet and encountered a rather angry Ni-ma, out for revenge of her cub. She hissed furiously, every hair on her body stood on end. Radditz knew that he would have to get passed this Suru before he could dispose of the cubs. It didn't matter that he would have to kill her as well, after all, she could very well be pregnant, and Radditz wanted to end his former friend's bloodline. He shook himself and crouched down, ready to pounce.  
  
**_"KAKAROTTO!!! GET OUTTA HERE!!! NOW!!!"  
  
_**This time, Kakarotto didn't hesitate and bolted off as Pita had ordered. He didn't watch as the first blows struck; he was far more concerned about the safety of Vega and finding his brothers. He shouted as best as he could through his teeth, hoping to get some kind of signal as to the whereabouts of his brothers. He had just made it out of the clearing when Pita's bone-chilling cries of pain made him stop. He could hear her screams and shrieks of pain, and then they suddenly fell silent. Kakarotto feared the worst but was too afraid to turn back to help Pita.  
  
But before he could go any further, Radditz dashed out of the clearing after him, blood dripping from his chin. Kakarotto's eyes dilated to pinpoints and he turned to flee. He could hear the monstrous Saiyajin's feet thumping rapidly against the ground as he raced after him. He was gaining! Kakarotto knew he couldn't out run him, but he had to try.  
  
Radditz was only a few yards away when the ground began to heave. The unexpected motion of the sand made both Kakarotto and Radditz stop. The youngster tried to brace himself as the ground began to quake violently. He looked down and gasped as the rock beneath him started to tear like paper, making a sound just as similar. He sprang to the side and tried to run again, but the ground was too unstable. The earth was rolling like waves on the ocean, slitting the ground in wide gashes. Another wave flung Kakarotto so hard into the air that he lost his grip on Vega.  
  
When Kakarotto hit the ground, Vega was nowhere to be found. The youngster began to search frantically for the cub. How could have allowed himself to lose Vega?! Then he saw him, about ten yards away on a stone shelf that was quickly giving way. In a panic, Kakarotto leapt forward to retrieve the cub when something grabbed his tail and jerked him back to the ground. Kakarotto felt all his strength vanish as that something held tightly to his tail. He barely managed to turn his head and see Radditz, grinning evilly, holding firmly to his now limp tail.  
  
"L-let m-m-me g-go..." Kakarotto wheezed.  
  
Radditz just smirked at the immobilized youngster, pulling him closer. Kakarotto knew this was the end, all he could do now was wait for the inevitable. But suddenly, Radditz's face turned from triumphant to fearful. Kakarotto realized that Radditz wasn't pulling him, he was sliding down the hill toward a deep crevasse. Wait, Kakarotto didn't remember being on a hill...he figured out that with Radditz holding his tail, he was too delirious to comprehend that the ground they were on was now folding beneath them.  
  
Radditz released Kakarotto's tail so he could use both his hands to cling to the dirt. With his senses regained, Kakarotto made his attempt to escape from Radditz and his death. But the ground was at too much of an angle now for him to get away. The youngster started to slide down, toward his foe and his demise. The ledge gave way and both Kakarotto and Radditz tumbled down into the darkness.  
  
Kakarotto was close to the wall and managed to grab hold of it. He slid several hundred yards then stopped, watching Radditz continue to fall into the black death that awaited him below. Kakarotto felt no remorse for the fallen Saiyajin, he was scum, a piece of filth that crawled out of who knows where. The youngster didn't ever want to think about that brute again, and instead focused on clinging for dear life to the wall as the earth continued to shake and tremble. 

----------

The ground shook for most of the day, finally settling at about sunset. Kakarotto was battered and bruised from falling debris and had barely any strength to climb out of the gaping crevasse. He had fallen so far down that it took a few hours to scale the wall, but he made it, and the land was now unrecognizable.  
  
It was raining and the sky was completely dark, thunder clapping now and then in the distance. Rips in the ground littered the sand, giving the land a dry look even though it was raining. There was nothing for miles and miles, except for more emptiness. There weren't even any creatures scouring the ground for food or a scrap of evidence showing that this was their home. Just sand dunes and revenues and the occasional rock.  
  
Kakarotto decided to search for his brothers, hoping that they had survived the quake. He chose to go in the direction he thought was south, even though it didn't really matter where he went at this point.  
  
It wasn't long before he heard groaning noises coming from just over the next dune. Kakarotto cautiously climbed over the dune and peeked over the side and gasped.  
  
**_"PITA!!"  
  
_**Kakarotto leapt down the hill, sliding in the wet earth as he reached his old friend's side. Pita had been badly injured in the fight with Radditz; her stomach was torn clean open, her organs and intestines were shredded and hung out of her body and her breathing was incredibly labored. Kakarotto was amazed that she had even lived this long. Pita weakly turned her head and faced the youngster.  
  
"...K-kaka...rot-t-to...?"  
  
Kakarotto couldn't help but start crying.  
  
"Oh Pita! What has that monster done to you?!"  
  
"::cough, cough:: I th-think he r-ripped open my s-stomach..." she joked.  
  
"This is serious Pita! We have to get help!"  
  
Pita suddenly looked more somber, "There's n-no one who can h-help... ::cough, cough::"  
  
"B-but, there _has_ to be!!"  
  
"W-where's V-vega?" Pita tried to change the subject.  
  
Kakarotto froze; he had completely forgotten about little Vega! He felt like such an ass, forgetting the one thing he cherished most in this cruel world. He broke down, wrapping his arms around Pita's neck and sobbing loudly.  
  
_"I'm sorry! I couldn't save him! It's all my fault! Oh Pita, I'm so sorry!"  
  
_Pita winced and weakly returned his embrace, stroking his hair soothingly. She too wanted to cry, but her body wouldn't let her, too weak from the fight and blood loss.  
  
"It's for the b-best," Pita started, "He wouldn't survive l-long without his N-ni-ma and Pi-p-pa."  
  
Kakarotto looked up at her, horrified, "What do you mean?! You're not dead! We'll get help and make you all better! You just have to hold on a little longer!"  
  
"I h-have been holding o-on, but I c-can't anymore."  
  
"Yes you can!!" Kakarotto was getting frantic, "I'll take care of you, just don't leave me!"  
  
Even in his heart, Kakarotto knew she had to leave. There was nothing more for her to live for; her mate and cubs had been killed, and without them, she had nothing. When a Saiyajin's mate dies but they still have their offspring, they can still keep living, but once their offspring all die, the Saiyajin will eventually succumb to grief and die of a broken heart, or commit suicide. Kakarotto didn't want that to happen to Pita, all Saiyajins knew that that was the worst way to go. He held her hand gently in his and nuzzled it.  
  
"Go to them, they're waiting for you."  
  
Pita smiled at him, squeezed his hand in reassurance, and laid back. Her life force had finally gone. She was reunited with her loved ones. Kakarotto was happy for her; she would be with King Vegeta, Junior, and her parents. He knew that it wouldn't be long before he rejoined his parents as well.  
  
With nothing left to do or say, Kakarotto turned and went back up and over the hill, not turning back. He continued on his way, heading south, where if anything there would be food and warmth. It wasn't long before he came across Gohan and Goten, cold, tired, and hungry, but okay. They had survived the quake by staying out in the open where nothing could fall and crush them. Kakarotto was happy; now he wouldn't be alone. 

----------

End Chapter 3 

----------

Kaki: ::sniff, sniff:: 

Me: ::wakes up:: Oh, my head. What happened?  
  
Kaki: ::sniff:: That was the most awful thing I ever read! **_WAAAAAAAAAA!!!  
  
_**Veji: ::wakes up:: Oh, what the hell happened?  
  
Kaki: ::grabs Veji:: **_READ THIS!!!  
  
_**Veji: ::reads, then wide eyes:: **_YOU STUPID LIL BITCH!!!  
  
_**Me: What? ::sees fic:: Oh yeah...  
  
Kaki: You are no longer allowed to write this! I'm taking over!  
  
Me: You can't do that!  
  
Kaki: I just did!  
  
Veji: ::ties me up with chains and locks me in the closet::  
  
Kaki: ::sniff:: Well, you guys can review if you want, but if you're gonna flame, _**FLAME NYC!!!  
  
**_Me: ::from closet:: But it's gonna get better!  
  
Kaki: Yeah, cuz I've taken over! BTW, NYC has been forgetting to thank Rena for the Ni-ma and Pi-pa names. So thanx Rena :)


	4. The Lone Suru

Okay, I have escaped from the closet to write chapter 4 while Kaki and Veji are out shopping [shhh!]. I'm not gonna waste time blabbing about nothing cuz they could be home any minute, so just enjoy this chappie.

Ryo: NYC does not own DBZ (or me for that matter ::looks over at me:: ), so plz don't sue.

Me: ::sigh:: Even when I'm alone in the house I can't do the disclaimer!

Ryo: Well, you're in time-out, so you're supposed to be punished.

Me: ::sighs again and pushes upload button::

----------

Chapter 4: The Lone Suru

---------

The Bengalaas roared its victory to the heavens. It had just made a fresh kill of a large desert ram, which had put up quite a fight. Blood stained its front paws and fangs, giving it a more frightening look than it already had. It began to feed upon the carcass, shredding large amounts of flesh from pearly bone. It was so focused now on filling its empty belly that it didn't even notice a young adult Saiyajin creeping along in the brush just yards away.

The Saiyajin leapt onto the Bengalaas's back and bit down on the loose skin behind its neck. The Bengalaas roared angrily and reared up on its hind legs in an attempt to throw the Saiyajin from its back. Though the Saiyajin's teeth weren't nearly sharp enough to break the feline's rock-hard hide, he could still cause some pain. The Bengalaas swung its body wildly in its effort, and the Saiyajin merely jumped off its back and arched his back, growling menacingly.

The Bengalaas turned and saw the Saiyajin; he couldn't have been much older than 20, his black mane in a lopsided type of style. He was obviously strong, but the Bengalaas wasn't going to give its kill up without a fight. The feline felt it had the upper hand; it was equipped with 6-inch long fangs, steel-like claws, and a tough hide, while all the Saiyajin had was its pitiful teeth and soft pink flesh, not to mention the fact that it was almost twice the size of the Saiyajin. This would be an easy victory, or so the big cat thought.

It lunged at the small Saiyajin, its claws out stretched. The Saiyajin was too quick and, avoiding contact with the claws, rammed his head into the Bengalaas's lower jaw. He then grabbed the Bengalaas by its oversized fangs and threw it across the sand. The feline was quickly back on its feet and instantly back on the ground as the Saiyajin made another lightning fast strike to the feline's back. The Bengalaas rolled over and swing its enormous paw, which amazingly made contact with its target.

With a slight yelp, the Saiyajin hit the sand hard and was pinned beneath the Bengalaas's paw. Knowing that it now had the advantage in the battle, the Bengalaas pulled itself up and pressed all its weight against the overpowered Saiyajin. But the Saiyajin didn't seem to be at all afraid of the big cat on top of him, in fact, he was smirking up at it. With a sudden burst of energy, the Saiyajin placed his hind feet on the Bengalaas's stomach and kicked it off, hard. It soared through the air and the Saiyajin leapt up after it, punching it several times hard in the gut.

The Saiyajin landed gracefully on all fours and the Bengalaas landed on its side, wailing in pain. Slowly, the feline crawled to its feet and glared angrily at the Saiyajin, it was clear that it wouldn't win this battle. It cowered before the Saiyajin and crept away, leaving its kill to the victor.

As soon as the Bengalaas was out of sight, the Saiyajin called to his pack. Two heads poked up from behind a large boulder, and the young Saiyajins padded toward the first. The littlest one wasn't very happy about what the first had done.

"Kakarotto, have you lost what little sense you have?"

"No," Kakarotto said, "I knew I could take it. Besides, I had to get you and Gohan some food."

"Then get it yourself, don't steal from others who used up their time and energy to get it!"

"Goten, give it a rest," Kakarotto sat down, a little tired from the brawl, "that Bengalaas can catch another ram, it's not like it'll starve to death now. There are beasts all over it can eat."

Goten sighed, there was no way of getting through to his stubborn older brother. He was about to join Gohan in their meal when he saw the gash on Kakarotto's chest.

"Kakarotto! You're bleeding!"

Kakarotto cocked his head to the side and looked down. Sure enough, there were three long claw marks down his chest, blood flowing steadily down his abs. They weren't terribly deep, but could cause problems if left untreated. Kakarotto was about to clean the wound himself when Goten started cleaning it, licking at the torn flesh. Kakarotto didn't like this for many reasons, but the main reason was that Goten was a Suru.

"Gohan, help!"

Gohan looked up from the carcass and saw what his twin was doing. He stopped eating, rushed over to Goten and pulled him away. Goten protested, wanting to fix his older brother's wound.

"Don't worry about him Goten," Gohan pulled his little brother's arm, "he can take care of himself, he's a big boy."

Kakarotto turned around and began to calm himself down. He didn't like having his little _Suru_ brother licking his chest. Sometimes Goten was just too dense; he hadn't even realized that he couldn't give his brothers the friendly touches and gestures he could when he was a cub. He was a full-grown Suru now, and had to watch what he was doing around Saiyajins.

Then again, there were no other Saiyajins as far as the pack was concerned. Through all their travels, they had yet to come across another Saiyajin outside their pack, other than one who was known as Radditz. There was a slim chance that there were any other Saiyajins left alive on the planet. They were most likely wiped out during the earthquake 12 years ago. It may have been the sad truth, but if worse came to worse, either Kakarotto or Gohan would have to take Goten as a mate to ensure the survival of the race. Kakarotto prayed that that would _never_ be an option.

Kakarotto looked over at his brothers and thought to himself how much they had grown. They were both 16 now and their appearances had changed a lot over the years. Gohan's hair wasn't long anymore, but was short and spiked up. Goten no longer looked like Kakarotto; his mane was a lot like Gohan's, except it was spiked forward. _(A/N: I like Goten's GT hairstyle better than the one at the end of DBZ)_ They were both still as pale as Kakarotto, but that's where the similarity ends. Kakarotto, now 19 years old, maintained much of his looks from his early years; lopsided hair, pale skin, always smiling.

Kakarotto was suddenly distracted from his thoughts by his rumbling stomach. He decided it was time for him to feed with his brothers.

----------

The small pack had finished their pilfered meal and was headed for a fruit tree that Kakarotto smelled in the distance. The Saiyajin had become quite a capable tracker and hunter over the years. Gohan wasn't much of a hunter, but he could help Kakarotto bring down big game. Goten, of course, was of little help when it came to hunting and catching animals, but he was small enough and light enough to climb the fruit trees and gather fruit for his brothers. That's where they were heading now; for dessert.

It was a nice warm afternoon---one of the few _warm_ afternoons in the desert. It was usually scorching hot by now, and the pack decided to take advantage of the lack of high temperature, which was mostly do to the clouds. Goten was really happy that it wasn't hot; he hopped and bounced around like a puppy. Every now and then, he'd run into a rock or a bush, but would instantly shake it off and would be bouncing around again. Kakarotto and Gohan _really_ hoped their brother would calm down significantly when he eventually was mated.

Kakarotto kept his senses alert incase they came across trouble, sniffing the air, listening for disturbances and scanning their surrounds periodically. He had learned over the years to keep a sharp eye out for danger, having almost lost his brothers to his carelessness. He was sniffing the sand when he came across a familiar scent. Knowing what this scent meant, he stopped and hissed angrily at the ground.

"What's wrong Kakarotto?" Gohan asked, knowing something was up.

Goten was completely oblivious as to what his brothers were doing and he continued to act like a drunken kid. Kakarotto's mind was racing; what should he do? What should he say? If he told his brothers what he had smelled, they'd freak.

"We can't go this way," he simply said.

Gohan nodded and went after Goten to try and get him to change his rampaging coarse. Kakarotto didn't have the heart to tell them what was happening, he didn't want them to worry that Radditz had passed by not too long ago.

----------

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Goten bounced higher than ever.

It had taken several hours to track down the fruit tree's location in a small canyon, and by then, they were all getting hungry. It wasn't like they were starving, a full-grown Saiyajin can go a week without food if he has to. Goten was happy because this was one of the few times he could do something for his brothers. The tree was quite tall, and the lowest branch was well above all their heads.

"How're we gonna get up there?" Gohan asked, squinting against the sun.

Kakarotto knew how to get up the tree, they could make a living ladder. He reared up and placed his hands against the tree trunk and looked back at Goten. It took a while for the Suru to get it, but he figured it out and started to climb up Kakarotto's back. Goten was pretty light, but wasn't too careful about where he stepped. He finally planted his feet on Kakarotto's head and stretched up toward the branch. It was still a few feet up.

"Unless I jump, I can't reach it!" Goten hollered.

"You jump and I'll kick your skinny little ass!" Kakarotto growled.

That was when Kakarotto felt something between his legs. He gasped and looked down; Gohan had crawled beneath his legs and was attempting to push Kakarotto further up the tree.

"_STOP IT!!_" the Saiyajin howled.

He was about to reach down and give Gohan a good hard smack when he heard something. He couldn't figure out what it was, so he decided to ignore it. Gohan had done the trick, Goten could almost reach that branch. Just a little bit more…got it! Goten pulled himself up into the tree and disappeared among the leaves.

"Okay Gohan," Kakarotto was a little nervous sitting on his weaker brother's shoulders, "just let me down…nice, and easy---"

Too late, Gohan's legs gave way and he fell to the ground. Kakarotto toppled down and landed flat on his face. He pushed himself up and was about to kill Gohan when he heard the sound again. This time it was a little bit longer, giving Kakarotto time to analyze it. He thought it was a bird chirping for a second, then he realized it was…_laughter?_ He didn't know exactly where it was coming from, but didn't have time to figure it out as a small melon the size of a cantaloupe hit him in the head.

"OW!!" Kakarotto grabbed his head, "What the fu---"

Kakarotto and Gohan started getting showered with light blue melons. Goten must've found the jackpot and was plucking as much fruit as possible off the branches. They decided to seek refuge from the fruit bombs and hid behind a boulder. They heard more fruit hit the ground and split open. Most of the fruit that Goten threw down was probably no good now with sand all over the food part.

After a few minutes, fruit had stopped falling. Kakarotto peeked around the boulder to make sure the coast was clear. He beckoned for Gohan to follow him after he determined it was safe to return to the tree. There was more than enough food for all them, but most would have to have the sand washed off. Kakarotto was startled when Goten swung out of the depths of the tree and hung from the low branch by his tail.

"How's that?"

Kakarotto glared up at him, "Come down here so I can kick your ass!"

Goten cocked his head to the side fearfully; what had he done wrong? He decided to eat in tree away from his angry brothers. The fruit was delicious, it was so tender, but it was hard to get it of the coconut-like shell. Kakarotto was enjoying his seventh melon when a small rock hit him in the back of the head. He grabbed his head and whipped around. He could hear the laughing above them over the walls of the canyon. Kakarotto was getting rather impatient and wanted to find out who was up there. He dropped his fruit and started to climb up the canyon wall.

"Kakarotto?" Gohan looked up, his mouth full of fruit, "Where're you going?"

Kakarotto shushed his brother and climbed slowly up the rock face. He focused all his senses on the source of the laughter. Someone was still laughing at him, and was obviously trying to stifle it. Kakarotto didn't like being laughed at and was going to silence whoever it was. He was just barely below the edge of the cliff and could still hear the laughter. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to pounce.

With lightning speed, Kakarotto leapt over the side and pounced on the intruder. He snarled down at it then stopped and looked down at his catch. It was a young teenage male Suru! Kakarotto had never expected he would ever see another Suru aside from Goten, and here he was, right on top one! Wait, on top? That didn't sound right, but Kakarotto was in too much shock to do anything about it. He studied the Suru; he had red-tinted, jet black hair that came to a sharp widow's peak on his forehead, nicely tanned skin, and a hard look in his eyes, as if he'd been through a lot. That face looked so familiar, Kakarotto wasn't quite sure where he'd seen that face before, and then it hit him.

"V-Vega?"

The Suru growled up at him and slammed his forehead against Kakarotto's, hard. The Saiyajin roared in pain and leapt back, releasing the Suru from his grasp. Kakarotto looked up at the Suru who was hissing angrily, back arched and tail fluffed up in an attempt to look bigger and fiercer. But he didn't flee, he just stood there, glaring daggers at his assailant. Finally, the Suru slowly let his back fall into its regular posture and cocked his head to the side, still glaring at Kakarotto.

"Who are you? Why do you call me that?"

Kakarotto was still in shock, "B-because you were p-part of our pack, a-and---"

The Suru laughed uneasily, "_Me_? Part of _your_ pack?"

"Well, it was your Pi-pa's pack, but he died."

The Suru stared at him in disbelief; there was no way he had ever come across this Saiyajin before in his life. Then again, he'd never come across _any_ Saiyajin in his life. He didn't remember anything from before he was alone. He supposed he must have been with other Saiyajins before, but he didn't know.

"Don't you remember, Vega?" Kakarotto broke the Suru's thoughts.

The Suru took a step backward, "My name is _not_ Vega," he growled.

This was too weird; he had to get out of there. There was _no way_ this Saiyajin knew him. He hadn't noticed that two other Saiyajins had crawled up the cliff face and were only a few paces away, until Goten spoke up.

"Hello, who are you? You look very familiar."

That's when he bolted off, leaving the three Saiyajins behind. But he didn't get very far as Kakarotto came barreling down on his back, crushing him against the sand.

"Vega, please don't go!" Kakarotto nuzzled the back of his neck, "I can't bare to loose you again!"

"Loose me?!" the cub struggled against the big Saiyajin, "I've never seen you in my entire life!"

Gohan and Goten were completely lost, they had no idea what the two had been talking about. They seriously thought Kakarotto had finally snapped! They just watched as the young Suru continued to struggle against their brother. Finally, Kakarotto sat right on the Suru's back until he stopped struggling.

Feeling the fight had felt, Kakarotto bent down and whispered to the cub, "Doesn't this feel familiar?"

He had to admit that something definitely _was_ familiar about this position, but he wasn't sure about it. He just didn't know anything anymore, everything he had thought seemed to be nothing more than a lie. He had convinced himself a long time ago that he was always alone and was destined to be alone for the rest of his life. But this Saiyajin and his pack had dared to defy everything he knew; he began to sob.

"Kakarotto! You're crushing him!" Goten shouted, pushing his oldest brother off the sobbing Suru.

Goten hugged the cub, who welcomed the friendly embrace. By the scent of this one, he was definitely a Suru, which comforted him, knowing he would have a friend that would understand him. Goten rocked him back and forth as he continued to cry. Kakarotto and Gohan stood off to the side, not sure what to do.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Goten continued to scold, "You had no right to do that to him! Can't you see he's still a cub?! And what makes you so sure he _is_ Vega?! Even if he is, he probably doesn't even remember, he was only two when it happened!"

Kakarotto thought about it for a moment and realized that Goten was probably right. Vega was pretty young when it happened, but trauma like that would have left some kind of scar on him. How could he forget something like that? Then it hit Kakarotto.

"You hit your head!!"

The Suru-cub persisted to cry and tremble in Goten's arms, but listened to what Kakarotto was saying.

"Remember? Radditz attacked us and you hit your head on a rock! I thought you were dead, but you weren't! I tried to carry you away from him, but I dropped you!" he paused for a breath, looking the Suru deep in his eyes, "I thought you were dead."

No one moved or spoke for several minutes, letting everything soak in. The sky was growing dark with rain clouds, and they knew they had to find shelter. But Goten didn't want to leave the cub all by himself, he was just too young.

"Please stay with us," he tried to convince the cub, "we'll take care of you so you won't be alone."

The Suru had to admit he didn't want to be alone, it was very…lonely. But he was afraid of Kakarotto now, and didn't want to be anywhere near him. Goten could see this in his eyes.

"And I won't let Kakarotto near you. If he touches you, I'll turn him inside-out!"

Kakarotto scoffed at his brother, but quickly shoved it off; Goten's proposal may have worked. The Suru-cub sat there for a moment, then nodded. Goten wagged his tail happily.

"So, what's your name? Or, at least, what can we call you?"

The cub looked up at him and said shyly, "Vegeta."

--------

It didn't take very long for Kakarotto to find a nice dry cave for them to curl up in for the night. Vegeta had been clinging to Goten the entire time like a security blanket. Goten babied Vegeta the whole way, making sure he was okay every step. Gohan had fashioned a sled from branches to transport melons so they could have a light dinner before bed.

Kakarotto let Goten and Vegeta enter the cave first, the entrance being quite small. Then he helped Gohan push the sled of food through the entrance before entering himself. It was quite cozy in the their new den, and warm too. All in all, the cave was about the size of a small room. Kakarotto felt the back of the cave wall; it felt soft enough to dig through, he could make it bigger if needed.

Gohan distributed the remaining fruit to everyone and they ate their dinner in silence. Kakarotto finished his melon and looked down at the cave floor, then back up at Vegeta. He didn't think the young Suru should have to sleep on the stony ground, and he didn't particularly want to sleep on the hard surface either, but how could he change that?

Kakarotto crawled out of the cave to have a look around outside. It was a bit too dark to really tell what was really out there, but he could hear the sound of running water from a stream nearby and saw the faint outline of a large tree. He crept closer and felt the tree's trunk, squinting into the darkness to try and distinguish what type of tree it was. He soon realized that it was a Kalito tree, whose leaves were broad and used by most Saiyajins to build their nests. Not only were the leaves good for nesting, but were also edible and a ready food source.

With this knowledge, Kakarotto returned to the den to retrieve Gohan for help. The Kalito tree had a thick trunk, making it easier to get a medium-sized Saiyajin up to the leaves, so Gohan didn't have to worry about breaking the tree when he climbed it. Soon they had a rather large pile of leaves and Gohan hopped down as quickly as possible. He didn't like climbing trees and wasn't very good at it; he was just glad it was dark so Kakarotto couldn't see his lack of agility.

Goten was cleaning Vegeta when they returned with their collection of foliage. Vegeta obviously didn't like the treatment he was receiving; Goten wasn't very good at cleaning others. The older Suru was untangling Vegeta's mane without a care in the world, until he saw his brothers' bounty.

"What are we gonna do with that?" he asked, pulling a little too hard on a knot, causing Vegeta to yelp.

Kakarotto felt sheepish, "Well, I figured that we could sleep in nests rather than the ground tonight."

Goten eyed his brother for a long time. Kakarotto had never let them build nests before; he always insisted that it would be a waste of time, since he always kept them moving. Why should tonight be any different? But…those leaves sure looked comfortable…

"Okay!" Goten piped cheerfully.

He rushed forward and started gathering vegetation for nesting. Kakarotto took this opportunity to swat Goten playfully on his behind, causing the Suru to lose his balance and roll pitifully to the ground. Goten looked up at him and smirked, then he lunged at his brother. Kakarotto was too strong to be brought down by the young Suru and was easily tossed gently away. Kakarotto was about to start building his own nest when Goten barreled into his back, causing him to stumble. He suddenly felt more weight on his back and crashed face first into the pile of leaves.

Gohan had decided to join the play-fight and was trying to help his twin brother subdue their older one. But Kakarotto knew only too well where their weak spots were and quickly turned the tables on them. He pinned Goten beneath him and threw Gohan off his back like a bucking bronco. Then he set to work with tickling his now vulnerable brother beneath him. Goten shrieked and guffawed loudly, squirming like a fish out of water.

Suddenly, there was a loud hiss from the corner of the room, and a young angry Suru attacked Kakarotto. He stumbled back as Vegeta tried to claw his eyes out, hissing wildly. Kakarotto backed a few feet away and growled unintentionally at the Suru. _Why did he attack me like that?_ Kakarotto thought. He didn't have much time to think as he was again tackled from behind and hit the ground.

"Yeah!" Goten hopped up and down on his older brother, panting heavily, "I win! I win!"

Kakarotto grunted loudly with each bounce Goten made on his back. He rolled over, letting Goten fall off his back. He shook himself lightly and swatted Goten again. This time Goten didn't pounce on him, but settled on swiping at him half-heartedly, being too tired to try and win again. He gathered up his forgotten leaves and made his way to a corner to build his nest. Gohan had already built his nest, having given up at the very beginning of the play-fight. But Vegeta hadn't moved from his spot; he just stood there, growling softy. Kakarotto cocked his head to the side, wondering what was his problem. He gave himself a mental shrug and started constructing his own nest.

Goten grabbed Vegeta's arm, "Look, we can sleep in the same nest."

Vegeta saw that Goten had purposely made a large nest fit for two people. He didn't have much say in the matter. Vegeta didn't like the thought of sleeping in the same nest as someone else, but as long as it wasn't a Saiyajin, he'd go along with it. Goten made Vegeta lay down, wrapped his arms around him and held him like he was a teddy bear. It was strange having someone this close to him, hell, it was strange to even know there was anyone else who could be this close to him, but he kind of liked it.

Goten had already fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. How _anyone_ could fall asleep so quickly was beyond Vegeta! The Suru sighed and looked around. Gohan was snuggled up in his nest and appeared to be asleep. But Kakarotto was still awake and was finishing his nest; taking away and adding more leaves where necessary. Finally placing the last leaf in place, he crawled wearily into his nest and curled up. He looked up and saw Vegeta staring at him.

A chill ran down Vegeta's spine as their eyes locked. He didn't want to stare into this evil Saiyajin's dark eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. They just gazed into one another's eyes for the longest time and Kakarotto realized that this was the first time that Vegeta looked at him without growling or hissing. Neither broke eye contact; Vegeta didn't want to back down from the Saiyajin's gaze, and Kakarotto thought the Suru was just too damn hot not to stare at!

Soon the need for sleep won over Vegeta and he fell asleep. Kakarotto stayed awake and continued to gawk at Vegeta's beauty. He seemed to be even more beautiful asleep; he had an angelic look on his face rather than a constant scowl. The soft pitter-patter of rain outside made this scene even more hypnotic to the Saiyajin. He soon could no longer hold his eyelids open and joined Vegeta and his brothers in dream world.

----------

Vegeta wasn't sure if it was the thunderclap that woke him up or Goten's yelps of fear. Whatever it was, he had awoke with a great jerk to a bright flash of light and Goten whimpering in his sleep. _The thunder must be making him have a bad dream_, Vegeta thought, crawling slowly from the nest so as not to wake the older Suru. He carefully crept passed Kakarotto and Gohan and made his way to the cave entrance.

Vegeta emerged only to be instantly bombarded with cold rain. He liked it though; it was one of the few things he liked. He loved rain; he loved to watch the thunderstorms that usually came with it. He wasn't sure why he loved it so much, but all that mattered was that he _did_ love it, and wanted to watch it for as long as he could.

A lightning bolt ripped across the sky, like a bulging vein from the heavens, followed by slow rolling thunder. The wind blew wildly, but Vegeta wasn't going to let a _light breeze_ stop him from enjoying the show. Mother Nature never let him down with her dramatic light shows, and tonight was just as dazzling as ever. The lightning was so close, Vegeta felt like he was right in the middle of it all. Little did he know he was too close for comfort.

Back in the den, Kakarotto woke suddenly with the feeling of something being out of place. He soon realized that the reason he woke up was because he had a full bladder. _Damn melons!_ he thought, cursing to himself about eating such a water dinner. He groggily stumbled out of the cave entrance and saw Vegeta sitting out in the rain. All thoughts of taking a piss left Kakarotto's mind as he stared, now wide awake, at the young Suru. Somehow the droplets of rain seemed to magnify Vegeta's attractiveness as they rolled down his body. His mane wafted in the blustery weather like many cattails in a light breeze. He was the definition of beauty…but what was he doing out here in the first place?

Kakarotto looked up just in time to see a lightning bolt strike a nearby tree, one with thick heavy branches. A branch cracked and began to fall on top of Vegeta, who obviously hadn't noticed it. Kakarotto wasted no time and sprang into action.

"VEGA!! LOOK OUT!!"

Vegeta spun around to be met with a charging Saiyajin. Kakarotto slammed into the Suru, knocking to the ground and, in essence, landing right on top of him. Kakarotto turned around to see the branch hit the spot Vegeta was in, now fiery and even more deadly. He turned his gaze back to Vegeta, who was glaring daggers once again.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU---?!" Vegeta didn't finish his sentence, but instead looked bewildered over Kakarotto's shoulder.

The Saiyajin turned to see several more flaming tree limbs plummeting toward them. Without another thought, Kakarotto grabbed Vegeta and dodged another flaming branch. He leapt and dodged and rolled, keeping himself between them and Vegeta, while trying not to get burned himself. He soon made it to the entrance of the cave and dove in, Vegeta still tucked safely beneath him. Once inside, they rolled a few feet, then Kakarotto draped himself protectively over Vegeta as the cave suddenly began to shake. Could this be another earthquake?

Then everything stopped; the thunder and lightning, the cave shaking, everything. It was very quiet and still, not even the rain seemed to be making any noise now. Kakarotto cautiously lifted his head slightly and turned toward the cave entrance. The branches had stopped falling and everything seemed to have settled down. Kakarotto then turned his attention back to Vegeta, who stared wide-eyed up at him, trembling somewhat.

"Are you okay?" he managed.

Vegeta shook himself, "Get _off_ me, you sick bastard!" he roared, kneeing Kakarotto in the gut.

The Saiyajin grunted and backed away, allowing the Suru to get back to his own feet. Vegeta crawled to the other side of the cave and began grooming himself casually, his back to Kakarotto. The Saiyajin snorted in irritation at Vegeta and thought about what a waste of good looks it was on such a persnickety little asshole! Then came a loud, sharp thud from outside.

Vegeta yelped, leapt up, and backed quickly away, reversing right back at Kakarotto. Vegeta ended up huddled practically under Kakarotto, his back pressed firmly against his protector's chest. Kakarotto felt a sudden burst of heat as he realized what position he and the young Suru were in. Vegeta panted heavily as he watched the cave entrance fearfully, trembling against Kakarotto. It was enough to arouse any Saiyajin; having a Suru, soaking wet, crouched beneath him, shaking and panting. And that sweet little ass was right there for the taking! _OH PLEASE NO!!_ Kakarotto screamed mentally as e felt himself growing hard.

Vegeta had apparently realized what position they were in also, for he suddenly stopped breathing and tensed up. For a long time, neither of them moved, as if they were right back in another staring contest. Feeling he had spent long enough in this position, Vegeta slowly crawled away and curled up next to Goten in the nest. He kept his back to Kakarotto, not wanting to look at him. Kakarotto suddenly remembered the reason he woke up in the first place and made a mad dash out of the cave.

Vegeta looked over his shoulder as the Saiyajin left. What was that strange feeling he had when they had gotten so close? He had felt a peculiar heat in the pit of his stomach; something he'd never experienced before. It felt, good…he never wanted to feel that way again! He had been so vulnerable, so open to the dope for some kind of attack, why couldn't he bring himself to move earlier? Vegeta cuddled closer to Goten who, through all that, was still fast asleep. He sighed and fell back to sleep.

Kakarotto returned, feeling much better than before. His eyes fell on the now sleeping Vegeta, and he once again had an urge to be close to him. He shook himself and crawled back into his nest. He watched Vegeta sleep a moment longer, then closed his eyes; he now knew that his Vega had returned.

----------

End Chapter 4

----------

Me: Whew, I finally got this chapter done. Sorry if it's kinda lame, I'm trying to hurry before---

Kaki: ::opens door:: Ah ha!

Me: Oopsie.

Kaki: See Jita?! I knew that if we left her alone she'd write the next chapter while we were gone!

Veji: ::holding bags of groceries:: You're obsessive, you know that?

Me: But I was good! I didn't write _any_ tragedy!

Kaki: Oh really? ::reads over my shoulder:: Hmm…what happens next?

Me: ::sigh of relief:: Well, I don't know yet…

Veji: ::reads over my shoulder:: Hey, you changed my name back!

Me: Yup, I was planning to all along. Hope you're happy.

Veji: I am.

Kaki: Well, I guess you can keep writing, you did an ok job with this chapter. Who else dies?

Me: ::nervous look:: No one.

Kaki: Really?

Me: Well, just the bad guy…

Kaki: Okay, happy writing, I can't write the stupid thing anyway! ::leaves with Veji::

Me: That was close. Just to you know, I _am_ going to kill off one more character, but I won't tell you who, you can just guess. Well, please r r and tell me what you think should happen in the next chapter, k? **_LOVELZ!!!_**


End file.
